[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 55 (Friday, March 20, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16047-16048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05942]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 55 / Friday, March 20, 2020 / 
Notices  

[[Page 16047]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2020-0006]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Importation of Live Swine, Pork, and Pork 
Products From Certain Regions

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision to and extension of approval of an information 
collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection associated with the regulations for the 
importation of live swine, pork, and pork products from certain regions 
free of classical swine fever in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 
19, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2020-0006.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2020-0006, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2020-
0006 or in our reading room, which is located in room 1141 of the USDA 
South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC. 
Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, 
please call (202) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the importation of 
live swine, pork, and pork products from certain regions, contact Dr. 
Magde Elshafie, Senior Veterinarian Medical Officer, VS, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-3300. For more 
information on the information collection process, contact Mr. Joseph 
Moxey, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Importation of Live Swine, Pork, and Pork Products From 
Certain Regions.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0230.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et 
seq.), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the 
United States Department of Agriculture is authorized, among other 
things, to prohibit or restrict the importation and interstate movement 
of animals and animal products to prevent the introduction into and 
dissemination within the United States of livestock diseases and pests. 
To carry out this mission, APHIS regulates the importation of animals 
and animal products into the United States. The regulations for the 
importation of animals and animal products are contained in 9 CFR parts 
92 through 98.
    Part 94 allows, under certain conditions, the importation of live 
swine, pork, and pork products from certain regions that are free of 
classical swine fever (CSF) to prevent the introduction of CSF into the 
United States. Mexico, Chile, and the State of Santa Catarina in Brazil 
are on the list of regions referenced in Sec. Sec.  94.9 (a)(1) and 
94.10 (a)(1) that are considered free of CSF. However, Sec.  
[thinsp]94.32 places restrictions on the importation of live swine, 
pork, and pork products from these regions. These restrictions are 
placed because these regions either supplement their pork supplies by 
importing fresh (chilled or frozen) pork from CSF-affected regions, 
supplement their pork supplies with pork from CSF-affected regions that 
is not processed in accordance with the requirements in part 94, share 
a common land border with CSF-affected regions, or import live swine 
from such regions under conditions less restrictive than would be 
acceptable for importation into the United States.
    To ensure that the importation of live swine, pork, and pork 
products from Brazil, Chile, and Mexico do not introduce CSF into the 
United States, the regulations include information collection 
activities such as certification for importation of pork or pork 
products; application of seal; location and reason for breaking seal 
and application of new seal; termination of agreement; request for 
approval of defrost facility; request hearing for denial or approval of 
defrost facility; application for import of small amounts of pork or 
pork products; cooperative service agreement; notification of Customs 
and Border Protection inspectors for pork from specific regions; 
recordkeeping requirements for certificates; certificates for meat 
processed in tubes; certification for importation of hams; agreement 
for processing procedures; identification procedures; recordkeeping for 
processing origin of hams; and program statements.
    The information collection activities of certificates, compliance 
agreements, and cooperative service agreements are currently approved 
by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 
0579-0230 (Importation of Live Swine, Pork, and Pork Products From 
Certain Regions Free of Classical Swine Fever in Brazil, Chile, and 
Mexico). The remaining requirements were previously approved under OMB 
Control Number 0579-0395 (Prohibited and Restricted Importation of 
Fresh (Frozen or Chilled) Pork or Pork Products into the United States) 
and OMB Control Number 0579-0396 (Prohibited and Restricted Importation 
of Hams into the United States). As a result of including these 
additional information collection activities in this collection, APHIS 
has revised the title of this information collection from ``Importation 
of Live Swine, Pork, and Pork Products From Certain Regions Free of 
Classical Swine Fever in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico'' to ``Importation 
of Live Swine, Pork, and Pork Products From Certain Regions''. After 
OMB

[[Page 16048]]

approves this combined information collection package (0579-0230), 
APHIS will retire OMB control numbers 0579-0395 and 0579-0396.
    We are asking OMB to approve our use of these information 
collection activities, as described, for an additional 3 years.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. 
These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, 
electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: The public burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1 hour per response.
    Respondents: Full-time, salaried veterinary officers employed by 
the governments of Brazil, Chile, and Mexico; industry representatives; 
and U.S. importers.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 92.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 640.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 58,959.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 58,996 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per 
response.)
    All 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.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 17th day of March 2020.
Michael Watson
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-05942 Filed 3-19-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P