[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39519-39520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14101]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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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 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 127 / Wednesday, July 1, 2020 / 
Notices  

[[Page 39519]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2020-0020]


Notice of Request for Revision of an Approved Information 
Collection (Accreditation of Laboratories, Transactions, and 
Exemptions)

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 the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and 
Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request a 
revision of the approved information collection for the accreditation 
of laboratories; transactions with official meat and poultry 
establishments, egg products processing plants, and other firms; and 
exemptions from requirements of the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the 
Poultry Products Inspection Act. FSIS has reduced the burden estimate 
for this collection by 13 hours based on updated information. The 
approval for this information collection will expire on December 31, 
2020.

DATES: Submit comments on or before August 31, 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-2020-0020. 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: Accreditation of Laboratories, Transactions, and Exemptions.
    OMB Number: 0583-0082.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 12/31/2020.
    Type of Request: Renewal of an approved 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.
    FSIS is requesting a revision of the approved information 
collection for the accreditation of laboratories; transactions with 
official meat and poultry establishments, egg products processing 
plants, and other firms; and exemptions from requirements of the FMIA 
and PPIA. FSIS has reduced the burden estimate for this collection by 
13 hours based on updated information. The approval for this 
information collection will expire on December 31, 2020.
    FSIS requires accredited non-Federal analytical laboratories to 
maintain certain records (9 CFR 439.20 & 590.580). The Agency uses this 
collected information to ensure that non-Federal laboratories act in 
accordance with FSIS regulations.
    The FMIA (21 U.S.C. 642), the PPIA (21 U.S.C. 460(b)), and the EPIA 
(21 U.S.C. 1040) require establishments, brokers, wholesalers, or 
otherwise, to keep records that fully and correctly disclose all 
transactions involved in their businesses related to relevant animal 
carcasses and parts and egg products.
    In addition, FSIS requires establishments to keep records to ensure 
that meat and poultry products exempted from Agency inspection are not 
commingled with inspected meat and poultry products (9 CFR 303.1(b)(3) 
& 381.175).
    Finally, FSIS requires retail operations determined to have 
violated the requirements associated with the retail exemptions in the 
FMIA and PPIA to keep sales purchase and sales records to ensure future 
compliance (9 CFR 303.1(d)(3) & 381.10(d)(3)).
    FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information 
collection assessment:
    Respondents: Accredited laboratories, official meat and poultry 
establishments, egg products processing plants and other firms.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 27,743.
    Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: 122.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 114,326 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.
    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

[[Page 39520]]

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,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020-14101 Filed 6-30-20; 8:45 am]
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