[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 214 (Monday, November 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67007-67008]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-24206]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 214 / Monday, November 7, 2022 / 
Notices  

[[Page 67007]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2022-0062]


Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; 
National Animal Health Monitoring System Backyard Animal Keeping 2023 
Study

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: New 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 approval of a new information collection 
associated with the National Animal Health Monitoring System Backyard 
Animal Keeping 2023 Study.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
January 6, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2022-0062 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, 
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2022-0062, 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 regulations.gov or in our reading room, which is located 
in Room 1620 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 NAHMS Backyard 
Animal Keeping 2023 Study, contact Dr. Victoria Fields, Veterinary 
Medical Officer, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, VS, APHIS, 
2150 Centre Avenue, Building B, Fort Collins, CO 80526; (970) 986-1514; 
email: [email protected]. For more detailed information on the 
information collection process, contact Mr. Joseph Moxey, APHIS' 
Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator; (301) 851-2483; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: National Animal Health Monitoring System Backyard Animal 
Keeping 2023 Study.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-XXXX.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et 
seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to protect the health 
of livestock, poultry, and aquaculture populations in the United States 
by preventing the introduction and interstate spread of serious 
diseases and pests of livestock and for eradicating such diseases 
within the United States when feasible. This authority has been 
delegated to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
    In connection with this mission, APHIS operates the National Animal 
Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), which collects on a national basis 
statistically valid and scientifically sound data on the prevalence and 
economic importance of livestock, poultry, and aquaculture disease risk 
factors. NAHMS' studies have evolved into a collaborative government 
and industry initiative to help determine the most effective means of 
preventing and controlling diseases of livestock. APHIS is the only 
Federal agency responsible for collecting data on livestock and poultry 
health. Participation in any NAHMS study is voluntary and all data are 
confidential.
    In 2010, NAHMS conducted the Poultry 2010 Study, which estimated 
prevalence of chicken ownership and attitudes toward urban chickens in 
four cities (Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York). At that time, 
several cities throughout the United States were beginning to allow 
households to keep chickens, and the study evaluated this trend to 
gather data to be prepared in the event of a poultry disease outbreak. 
In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approached 
NAHMS with an interest in conducting a similar study given that there 
has been an apparent increase in backyard poultry ownership as well as 
an increase in Salmonella illnesses linked to contact with backyard 
poultry. In addition to updated information on percentage of households 
that own backyard chickens, since what was reported in the 2010 study, 
stakeholders have expressed interest in obtaining baseline information 
on the percentage of households that own any poultry, goats, pigs, and 
rabbits, and some basic information on how respondents provide care for 
these species since there is little information on this population of 
animals. Unless chickens are specifically referred to below, reference 
to poultry includes chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, or gamebirds for 
the purposes of this study.
    This study will consist of two components with five objectives as 
documented below. Objectives 1 through 3 will be answered by a survey 
(``national survey'') which will obtain national estimates of ownership 
of poultry, goats, pigs, and rabbits, and describe baseline information 
on ownership practices. For the fourth objective, a survey in two 
cities (``city survey'') will be performed to estimate the prevalence 
of chicken, goat, pig, and rabbit ownership in two of the four cities 
previously studied in the NAHMS Poultry 2010 study, as well as describe 
respondents' beliefs about chicken ownership. The fifth objective will 
be carried out in conjunction with Colorado State University to learn 
more about food security status and backyard animal keeping.
    The collection will support the following objectives:
    (1) Obtain national estimates of the percentage of households that 
own poultry, goats, pigs, and rabbits in urban and non-urban areas of 
the United States.
    (2) For each species included in the study, describe animal 
management practices such as information sources owners use to learn 
about animal health, access to veterinary care, length of ownership, 
and biosecurity practices

[[Page 67008]]

including those relevant to antimicrobial stewardship.
    (3) For households that both own and do not own poultry, goats, 
pigs, and rabbits, describe opinions of backyard and urban ownership of 
chickens and, for non-owners only, describe any contact with live 
poultry and intention to own any one of these species of interest in 
the future.
    (4) Estimate the prevalence of chicken, goat, pig, and rabbit 
ownership in two of the cities surveyed on urban chicken ownership in 
2012 (Denver and Miami), and describe respondents' beliefs about 
chicken ownership to determine changes in prevalence and beliefs 
between 2012 and 2023.
    (5) Conduct a preliminary evaluation of the relationship between 
food security status and backyard animal keeping.
    Respondent information will be protected by ensuring that no 
identifying information is linked to the data.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of this information collection activity for 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 0.21 hours per response.
    Respondents: Private individuals.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 112,745.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 0.17.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 18,770.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 4,074 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 2nd day of November 2022.
Anthony Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-24206 Filed 11-4-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P