[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 184 (Friday, September 23, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58056-58058]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-20619]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2022-0024]


Notice of Request to Renew an Approved Information Collection: 
Interstate Shipment of Meat and Poultry Products

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (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, FSIS is announcing 
its intention to renew the approved information collection regarding 
the voluntary cooperative interstate shipment program. The approval for 
this information collection will expire on February 28, 2023. FSIS is 
making no changes to the information collection.

DATES: Submit comments on or before November 22, 2022.

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 
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that 
site for submitting comments.
     Mail: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
     Hand- or Courier-Delivered Submittals: Deliver to 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2022-0024. Comments 
received in response to this docket will be made available for public 
inspection and posted without change, including any personal 
information, to https://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, 
call (202)205-0495 to schedule a time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at 
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gina Kouba, Office of Policy and 
Program

[[Page 58057]]

Development, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, South Building, Washington, DC 
20250-3700; (202) 720-5627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Interstate Shipment of Meat and Poultry.
    OMB Number: 0583-0143.
    Type of Request: Request to renew 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.), and the 
Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.). These 
statutes mandate that FSIS protect the public by verifying that meat 
and poultry products are safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and properly 
labeled and packaged.
    FSIS administers a voluntary cooperative inspection program under 
which State-inspected establishments in participating states with 25 or 
fewer employees are eligible to ship meat and poultry products in 
interstate commerce (21 U.S.C. 683 and U.S.C. 472) (9 CFR 321.3, 9 CFR 
part 332, 9 CFR 381.187, and 9 CFR part 381 subpart Z). In 
participating States, State-inspected establishments selected to take 
part in this program are required to comply with all Federal standards 
under the FMIA and the PPIA, as well as with all State standards. These 
establishments receive inspection services from State inspection 
personnel who have been trained in the enforcement of the FMIA and 
PPIA.
    Meat and poultry products produced under the program that have been 
inspected and passed by designated State personnel bear an official 
Federal mark of inspection and are permitted to be distributed in 
interstate commerce. FSIS provides oversight and enforcement of the 
program.
    States that are interested in participating in the cooperative 
interstate shipment program need to submit a request for an agreement 
to establish such a program through the appropriate FSIS District 
Office (9 CFR 332.4 and 9 CFR 381.514). In its request, a State must 
agree to comply with certain conditions to qualify for the interstate 
shipment program. The State must also: (1) Identify establishments in 
the State that the State recommends for initial selection into the 
program, if any, and (2) include documentation to demonstrate that the 
State is able to provide necessary inspection services to selected 
establishments in the State and conduct any related activities that 
would be required under a cooperative interstate shipment program. FSIS 
reviews the State's request to determine whether to approve the State 
to participate in the cooperative interstate shipment program.
    If a State determines that an establishment qualifies to 
participate in the cooperative interstate shipment program, and the 
State is able, and willing, to provide the necessary inspection 
services at the establishment, the State is to submit its evaluation of 
the establishment to the FSIS District Office that covers the State (76 
FR 24713).
    FSIS, in coordination with the State, will then decide whether to 
select the establishments for the program. Establishments that qualify 
for this program must meet all requirements under the FMIA or PPIA, and 
implementing regulations, including FSIS requirements for recordkeeping 
(9 CFR 332.5 and 9 CFR 381.515). Most State-inspected establishments 
will already have met these recordkeeping requirements, but some 
establishments will need to make minor adjustments to their 
recordkeeping to meet FSIS requirements.
    The FSIS selected establishment coordinator (SEC) is responsible 
for overseeing a State's cooperative inspection program. The SEC will 
visit each selected establishment in the State on a regular basis to 
verify that the establishment is operating in a manner that is 
consistent with the FMIA or PPIA and the implementing regulations (9 
CFR 332.7 and 9 CFR 381.517).
    The approval for this information collection will expire on 
February 28, 2023. FSIS is making no changes to the information 
collection. FSIS has made the following estimates based on an 
information collection assessment:
    Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take each new State 
an average of 40 hours to prepare and submit a request to establish a 
cooperative interstate shipment program.
    FSIS estimates that it will take each State 24 hours to prepare and 
submit an evaluation for each new establishment entering the program. 
FSIS estimates that States will submit approximately 3 evaluations per 
year.
    FSIS estimates that 15 establishments per year, out of the current 
60 participating establishments, will spend 16 hours to modify their 
recordkeeping procedures to comply with Federal standards and 5 minutes 
per establishment to file these records. The State will need to provide 
these records during the initial verification visit when the FSIS SEC 
verifies the State nomination to select the establishment into the 
program. FSIS estimates 15 minutes per establishment to provide the 
records for the verification assessment.
    Respondents: States and establishments.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 7 states and 60 establishments.
    Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: FSIS estimates 
there will be one request per each new State to establish a cooperative 
interstate shipment program per year. There will be a one-time 
modification of records for each newly selected establishment whose 
recordkeeping does not comply with all Federal standards. The total 
number of estimated annual responses is 777.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 733 hours. 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. 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, 
Mailstop 3758, 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' functions, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the 
accuracy of FSIS' 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.

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: 
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
    FSIS will also announce and provide a link to this Federal Register 
publication through the FSIS

[[Page 58058]]

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: https://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

    In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its 
Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or 
administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on 
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including 
gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital 
status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance 
program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil 
rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA 
(not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing 
deadlines vary by program or incident.
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of 
communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible 
Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or 
contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. 
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages 
other than English.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA 
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint and 
at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in 
the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a 
copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992.
    Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil 
Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410; (2) 
fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected].
    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Paul Kiecker,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2022-20619 Filed 9-22-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P