[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2317-2318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00631]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2022-0077]


Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; 
National Animal Health Monitoring System; Sheep 2024 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 to 
conduct the National Animal Health Monitoring System's Sheep 2024 
Study.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
14, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2022-0077 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-2022-0077, 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 Sheep 2024 
Study, contact Ms. Nia Washington-Plaskett, Program Analyst, Center for 
Epidemiology and Animal Health, VS, APHIS, 2150 Centre Avenue, Bldg. B, 
Fort Collins, CO 80524; (866) 907-8190; email: [email protected] or [email protected]. For more detailed 
information on the information collection process, contact Mr. Joseph 
Moxey, APHIS' Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483; 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: National Animal Health Monitoring System; Sheep 2024 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 the 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 from 
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 industry and 
government initiative to help determine the most effective means of 
preventing and controlling diseases of livestock. APHIS is the only 
agency responsible for collecting data on livestock health. 
Participation in any NAHMS study is voluntary, and all data are 
confidential.
    APHIS plans to conduct the Sheep 2024 Study as part of an ongoing 
series of NAHMS studies on the U.S. livestock population. This study 
will support the following objectives: (1) Describe management and 
biosecurity practices associated with, and producer-reported occurrence 
of, common economically important disease in sheep; (2) describe 
antimicrobial stewardship on sheep operations and estimate the 
prevalence of enteric pathogens and antimicrobial resistance patterns; 
(3) describe management practices producers use to control internal 
parasites and reduce anthelmintic resistance; (4) describe changes in 
animal health, nutrition, and management practices in the U.S. sheep 
industry from 1996 to 2024; and (5) provide a serologic bank to meet 
the future research needs of the sheep industry.
    The study will consist of two phases. In phase I, a National 
Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) enumerator will contact and 
conduct interviews with producers with 1 or more ewes in the top 24 
sheep producing States. Respondents will be asked to consent to 
allowing NASS to present their names to APHIS-designated data 
collectors for further consideration in the study. Phase II (APHIS 
phase) will consist of completing the producer agreement and on-farm 
questionnaires. In addition, biologic sampling will be available to 
selected participants who complete the initial visit questionnaire.
    The information collected through the Sheep 2024 Study will be 
analyzed and organized into descriptive reports and interactive 
dashboards. Several information sheets will be derived from these 
reports and disseminated by APHIS to producers, stakeholders, academia, 
veterinarians, and other interested parties. The collected data will be 
used to: (1) Establish national and regional production measures for 
producer, veterinary, and industry references; (2) predict or detect 
national and regional trends in disease emergence and movement; (3) 
address emerging issues; (4) examine the economic impact of health 
management practices; (5) provide estimates of both

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outcome (disease or other parameters) and exposure (risks and 
components) variables that can be used in analytic studies in the 
future by APHIS; (6) provide input into the design of surveillance 
systems for specific diseases; and (7) provide parameters for animal 
disease spread models.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of these information collection activities 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 0.69 hours per response.
    Respondents: Sheep producers with 1 or more ewes in the top 24 
sheep-producing States.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 4,970.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 2.4.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 12,153.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 8,383 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 10th day of January 2023.
Anthony Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-00631 Filed 1-12-23; 8:45 am]
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