[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10401-10402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03552]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2019-0029]


Notice of Request for a New Information Collection: Voluntary 
Destruction of Imported Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and 
Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to create a new 
information collection regarding the voluntary destruction of imported 
meat, poultry, and egg products. This is a new information collection 
with an estimated burden of 17,818 hours.

DATES: Submit comments on or before April 24, 2020.

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
Federal Register notice. Comments may be submitted by one of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website provides 
commenters the ability to type short comments directly into the comment 
field on the web page or to attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to 
http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that 
site for submitting comments.
     Mail, Including CD-ROMs, etc.: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-
3700.
     Hand- or Courier-Delivered Submittals: Deliver to 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2019-0029. Comments 
received in response to this docket will be made available for public 
inspection and posted without change, including any personal 
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, 
call (202) 720-5627 to schedule a time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at 
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gina Kouba, Office of Policy and 
Program Development, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, South Building, Washington, DC 
20250-3700; (202) 720-5627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Voluntary Destruction of Imported Meat, Poultry, and Egg 
Products.
    OMB Control Number: 0583-XXXX.
    Type of Request: Request for a new information collection.
    Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the 
functions of the Secretary (7 CFR 2.18, 2.53), as specified in the 
Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601, et seq.), the 
Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.), and 
the Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031, et seq.). These 
statutes mandate that FSIS protect the public by verifying that meat, 
poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and 
properly labeled and packaged.
    Imported meat, poultry, and egg products that do not comply with 
U.S. requirements are not allowed to enter U.S. commerce and are 
identified as ``U.S. Refused Entry'' product. Inspection Program 
Personnel (IPP) are required to verify that U.S. refused entry product 
is stored and segregated from other product at an official import 
inspection establishment until final disposition occurs, or permission 
to move the shipment is granted by a FSIS Office of Field Operations 
(OFO) District Office (DO).
    The regulations at 9 CFR 327.13, 381.202, 557.13, and 590.945 
provide different options for the disposition of U.S. Refused entry 
product, including: (1) Exportation (return) of the product to the 
originating country or to a third country, if permitted; (2) 
destruction of the product for human food purposes; (3) denaturing the 
product so it cannot be used for human food; (4) conversion of the 
product to animal food if permitted and approved by the Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA), and that permission is communicated to the FSIS 
DO; and (5) rectification if the reason for refusal has been corrected.
    FSIS is requesting a new information collection to document the 
Importer/Broker/Agent decision to voluntarily destroy product for human 
food purposes. This information collection is applicable only to 
destruction witnessed by FSIS IPP. FSIS IPP will use the information 
during the observation of the product destruction to verify that the 
product being destroyed is the same product that was refused entry and 
that the product is controlled by the import establishment until 
destruction is completed. This is a new information collection with an 
estimated burden of 17,818 hours.
    The Importer/Broker/Agent will complete FSIS Form 9840-4, Voluntary 
Destruction of Imported Meat (Including Siluriformes), Poultry, and Egg 
Product, for product that will be destroyed under FSIS supervision. The 
form will be maintained in the FSIS case file. IPP will also enter 
information into the Public Health Information System (PHIS) based on 
the information provided on the form.
    FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information 
collection assessment:
    Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take respondents an 
average of 5 minutes per response.
    Respondents: Importers/Brokers/Agents.
    Estimated Total Number of Respondents: 151.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1,416.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 17,818 hours. Copies 
of this information collection assessment can be obtained from Gina 
Kouba, Office of Policy and Program Development, Food Safety and 
Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, South 
Building, Washington, DC 20250-3700; (202) 720-5627.

[[Page 10402]]

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS's 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of FSIS's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
method and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information, including through 
the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques, or other forms of information 
technology. Comments may be sent to both FSIS, at the addresses 
provided above, and the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB), Washington, DC 20253.
    Responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal 
Register publication on-line through the FSIS web page located at: 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
    FSIS will also announce and provide a link to this Federal Register 
publication through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to 
provide information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, 
Federal Register notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of 
information that could affect or would be of interest to our 
constituents and stakeholders. The Constituent Update is available on 
the FSIS web page. Through the web page, FSIS can provide information 
to a much broader, more diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an 
email subscription service which provides automatic and customized 
access to selected food safety news and information. This service is 
available at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe. Options range from 
recalls to export information, regulations, directives, and notices. 
Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the 
option to password protect their accounts.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

    No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds 
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual 
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, 
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs, 
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to 
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or 
activity conducted by the USDA.

How To File a Complaint of Discrimination

    To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program 
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your 
authorized representative.
    Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax, 
or email:
    Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of 
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410,.
    Fax: (202) 690-7442,.
    Email: [email protected].
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), should contact 
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

Paul Kiecker,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020-03552 Filed 2-21-20; 8:45 am]
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