[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 3, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22975-22979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06941]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2020-0016]


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of a modified system of records.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 and Office of Management 
and Budget Circular No. A-108, the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) gives notice that an agency component, the Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service (APHIS), proposes to modify an existing 
system of records notice titled, APHIS Animal Health Surveillance and 
Monitoring System, USDA/APHIS-15. Among other changes, the system will 
be renamed Animal Health, Disease, and Pest Surveillance and Management 
System, USDA/APHIS-15. This system is used by APHIS to collect, manage, 
and evaluate animal health data for

[[Page 22976]]

disease and pest control and surveillance programs.

DATES: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) and (11), this notice 
will become applicable upon publication, subject to a 30-day notice and 
comment period in which to comment on the routine uses described in the 
routine uses section of this system of records notice. Please submit 
any comments by May 3, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS-2020-0016 in the Search field. Select 
the Documents tab, then select the Comment button in the list of 
documents.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send one copy of 
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2020-0016, Regulatory Analysis and 
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.
    Any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at http://www.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 general questions, please contact 
Mr. Chris Quatrano, CFI Director, Center for Informatics, Center for 
Epidemiology and Animal Health, VS, APHIS, USDA, 2150 Centre Ave., 
Bldg. B, Fort Collins, CO 80526; [email protected]. For Privacy 
Act questions concerning this system of records notice, please contact 
Director, Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Staff, 4700 River Road 
Unit 50, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-4076; email: 
[email protected]. For USDA Privacy Act questions, please contact 
the USDA Chief Privacy Officer, Information Security Center, Office of 
Chief Information Officer, USDA, Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400 
Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is modifying an 
existing system of records notice for the APHIS Animal Health 
Surveillance and Monitoring System, USDA/APHIS-15, which was last 
published on November 28, 2011, in its entirety in the Federal Register 
(76 FR 72897-72900, Docket No. APHIS-2010-0007). APHIS is modifying the 
system of records notice to rename the system as ``Animal Health, 
Disease, and Pest Surveillance and Management System, USDA/APHIS-15.'' 
Also, APHIS is expanding the system to include records of activities 
maintained in the Comprehensive and Integrated Animal Health 
Surveillance System (CIAHSS), which consists of multiple information 
technology platforms that exchanges data and that contains animal 
health and surveillance data. Expansion of the system also includes any 
electronic or hard copies of forms or other records used to enter data 
into CIAHSS or that may be saved in a CIAHSS application.
    In addition to the above, APHIS is making the following changes to 
the system of records:
     Updating the system location and system manager;
     Updating the authority for maintenance of the system to 
remove reference to the Bovine Johne's Disease Control Program (7 
U.S.C. 7629), which was repealed on February 7, 2014, and add 
references to the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, 7 
U.S.C. 7901 et seq., the Homeland Security Presidential Directives 7 
and 9, and Farm Bills (The Farm Bill is an omnibus, multiyear law that 
governs an array of agricultural and food programs. Titles in a recent 
farm bill encompassed farm commodity revenue supports, agricultural 
conservation, trade and foreign food assistance, farm credit, research, 
rural development, forestry, bioenergy, horticulture, and domestic 
nutrition assistance. Typically renewed about every 5 or 6 years by 
Congress, the Farm Bill provides a predictable opportunity for 
policymakers to comprehensively and periodically address agricultural 
and food issues);
     Updating the purpose of the system to further explain the 
purpose of the system and the use of the information collected by the 
system;
     Expanding the categories of individuals to include 
additional individuals who participate in animal disease or pest 
prevention, surveillance, management, and animal disease emergency 
activities, and those who are mentioned or referenced in any documents 
entered into USDA/APHIS-15 by a user (such as, vendors, industry, 
agents, other business personnel, etc.);
     Expanding the categories of records to include additional 
records relating to animal disease or pest prevention, surveillance, 
management, and animal disease emergency activities;
     Revising the record source categories to more accurately 
identify the sources of information maintained in the system;
     Updating the policies and practices for storage, 
retrievability, and retention and disposal of records in the system;
     Updating the system safeguards;
     Updating the notification, record access, and contesting 
record procedures; and
     Providing an updated full list of routine uses in the 
routine uses section of the document published with this notice.
SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
    Animal Health, Disease, and Pest Surveillance and Management 
System, USDA/APHIS-15.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
    Unclassified.

SYSTEM LOCATION:
    Paper files are held at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service's (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) national, district, field 
offices, and laboratories. Electronic files are stored and maintained 
electronically on secure U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-owned 
and operated servers located at 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737; 
920 Main Campus Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; and 2150 Centre 
Ave., Bldg. B, Fort Collins, CO 80526. Files are also kept on the 
originator's computer. In some cases, copies may be stored as part of 
an email on USDA email servers and in the email archive. The 
applications/systems are housed within Microsoft Azure Cloud, and 
personally identifiable information data is shared with Amazon Web 
Services via interconnection with the VS Data Integration Services (VS 
DIS) system.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S):
    For National Animal Health Reporting System and Laboratory 
Messaging Service: National Animal Health Laboratory Network 
Coordinator, Diagnostics and Biologics, VS, APHIS, USDA, 2150 Centre 
Ave., Bldg. B, MSC 3E13, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117.
    For Veterinary Services Laboratory Submission Service, Surveillance 
Collaborative Services (includes Mobile Information Management, Mi-
Corporation, and National Animal Health Reporting), VS Integration 
Surveillance Modules and the CS Analytics Warehouse component, VS DIS, 
Data Integration and Reporting Software, other related systems, and 
paper and electronic records not in application databases: Director, 
Center for Informatics, VS, APHIS, USDA, 2150

[[Page 22977]]

Centre Ave., Bldg. B, MSC 3E13, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
     The Animal Damage Control Act of 1931, 7 U.S.C. 8351 et 
seq.;
     The Animal Health Protection Act, 7 U.S.C. 8301-8317;
     The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, 7 
U.S.C. 7901 et seq.;
     Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and 
Response Act of 2002, 116 Stat. 674-678;
     Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7: Critical 
Infrastructure Identification, Prioritization, and Protection;
     Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9: Defense of 
United States Agriculture and Food; and
     Farm Bills, as required, (The Farm Bill is an omnibus, 
multiyear law that governs an array of agricultural and food programs. 
Titles in a recent farm bill encompassed farm commodity revenue 
supports, agricultural conservation, trade and foreign food assistance, 
farm credit, research, rural development, forestry, bioenergy, 
horticulture, and domestic nutrition assistance. Typically renewed 
about every 5 or 6 years by Congress, the Farm Bill provides a 
predictable opportunity for policymakers to comprehensively and 
periodically address agricultural and food issues).

PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM:
    The Animal Health, Disease, and Pest Surveillance and Management 
System supports VS' mission of protecting and improving the health, 
quality, and marketability of animals within the United States and 
response to animal health emergencies. The information is collected and 
stored to support animal health, disease, and pest surveillance and 
management activities that VS administers in cooperation with the 
States and Tribes. VS and its State and Tribal partners (or their 
cooperators and contractors) enter and maintain the data in the system 
to effectively manage animal health programs and disease and pest 
surveillance programs. This system allows for monitoring, early 
detection, and response to domestic, emerging, and foreign animal 
diseases or pests of concern such as viral hemorrhagic septicemia, 
brucellosis, tuberculosis, chronic wasting disease, pseudorabies, 
scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, classical swine fever, 
cattle fever ticks, screwworms, avian influenza, etc.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
    Individuals covered in this system include individuals identified 
as animal premises owners or managers, livestock haulers, individuals 
involved in animal production, movement, marketing, rendering, 
slaughter, product processing or points of contact for these 
categories, and all other individuals that are covered by the regulated 
activity of APHIS animal health or disease or pest surveillance, 
monitoring, or control program; collectors or submitters of samples for 
testing; USDA and State/Tribal animal health employees and their 
contractors or cooperators with signed agreements; Federal, State/
Tribal, and local public health employees and their contractors or 
cooperators with signed agreements working with USDA on zoonotic 
disease activities; Federal, State/Tribal, and local wildlife agency 
employees and their contractors or cooperators with signed agreements 
working with USDA on diseases affecting both wild and domestic animals; 
and accredited and other veterinarians and their employees working with 
USDA or covered entities or animals. In addition, individuals, even if 
they are not users of the Animal Health, Disease, and Pest Surveillance 
and Management System, who are mentioned or referenced in any documents 
entered into USDA/APHIS-15 by a user are also covered. This group may 
include vendors, industry, agents, and other business personnel.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
    The categories of records include:
    Contact information: This is information that may be used to 
contact individuals for official purposes such as disease investigation 
or follow up. Contact information may include, names, phone numbers, 
physical addresses, mailing addresses, or electronic mail addresses. 
Individuals' information may also include their roles such as owners, 
managers, employees, or representatives of animals, animal premises, 
and animal related businesses; veterinarians; contractors and 
cooperators; and local, State, Tribal, or Federal officials, including 
APHIS officials.
    Animal or herd health status: Historical or current information 
relating to the exposure, infection, or infestation status of an animal 
or group of animals. These records may include observations for 
presence or absence of clinical signs; laboratory test orders and 
results; disease or pest elimination or treatment plans; vaccination 
plans; and records of participation in and compliance with a disease or 
pest management, health management, or certification program and 
associated activities. These records may also include information about 
the pathogens or pests identified, such as antibiotic resistance or 
pathogen or pest genetic data.
    Animal, herd or operation characteristics: Information about animal 
or herd characteristics and management practices, which may be 
associated with different disease spread risks. This may include the 
type of business operation, species, breeds, classes, and ages of 
animals, intended uses, and animal inventories or estimated or observed 
numbers of animals present. This also includes activities such as 
livestock shipping or other animal relocations.
    Dates and times: Specific dates or date ranges or times of 
activities, events or planned events, such as, specimen collection and 
testing, observations of clinical signs or environmental conditions, 
vaccination, treatment, inspections or other visits, animal or specimen 
shipments, start and end dates of program participation, or dates and 
times when changes were made in animal or herd health status.
    Identifiers: Codes, numbers, or descriptions used to connect data 
about entities such as, animals, groups of animals, premises, 
biological specimens, or test results. Identifiers can include flock or 
premises identification numbers; animal identification numbers such as 
ear tag or other identification device numbers, implant or tattoo 
numbers, brands, animal group or lot numbers; accredited veterinarian 
numbers; veterinary license numbers; and specimen numbers.
    Location: Information about where an activity or event took place, 
or where a premises or animal is or was. This may include a physical 
address, geographic coordinates, county, State, ZIP Code, plat map 
references, or distances from other premises or landmarks.
    Operational records: These records include animal health activities 
that include State, Tribal, or Federal visits, inspections, 
vaccination, treatments, application of official identification and 
testing performed by VS employees, State animal health employees, 
contractors, cooperators, or veterinarians. This information can also 
include personnel and other resources involved, and numbers and types 
of samples collected.
    Miscellaneous: This information may include narrative reports, such 
as epidemiological reports or herd histories and disease elimination or 
management plans for specific herds or premises.

[[Page 22978]]

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
    Sources of information for this system include USDA and State/
Tribal animal health employees and their contractors or cooperators 
with signed agreements; Federal, State/Tribal, and local public health 
employees and their contractors or cooperators with signed agreements 
working with USDA on zoonotic disease activities. Federal, State/
Tribal, and local wildlife agency employees and their contractors or 
cooperators with signed agreements working with USDA on diseases 
affecting both wild and domestic animals; individuals identified as 
owners, managers, or contacts for premises (locations), groups of 
animals or individual animals, or animal-related businesses or 
operations involved with or covered by an APHIS animal health or 
disease or pest surveillance, monitoring, or control program; 
collectors or submitters of samples for testing; and accredited and 
other veterinarians and their employees working with covered entities 
or animals or with USDA.

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
    In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, records contained in this system may be 
disclosed outside USDA as a routine use under 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) to 
the extent that such uses are compatible with the purposes for which 
the information was collected. Such permitted routine uses include the 
following:
    (1) To State/Tribal animal health officials and their contractors 
and other cooperators authorized access by State/Tribal animal health 
officials, data from their State/Tribe as co-owners of the data to: (a) 
Collaborate with USDA in conducting, managing, and evaluating animal 
health, disease, or pest surveillance or control programs, and 
monitoring for animal health, diseases or pests; (b) aid in containing 
and responding to a foreign or domestic animal disease or pest 
outbreak, bioterrorism, or other animal health emergency; (c) 
disseminate information and solicit feedback on emergency preparedness 
and response guidelines and the system itself for the purpose of 
educating and involving these officials in program development, program 
requirements, and standards of conduct; and (d) States/Tribes may share 
their information on premises, persons, or animals within their State 
or Tribe in accordance with State or Tribal laws and regulations via 
public websites or other means;
    (2) To Federal, State/Tribal, or local wildlife agencies to 
collaborate with USDA in conducting, managing, or evaluating animal 
health, disease or pest surveillance or control programs, and 
monitoring for animal health issues, diseases, or pests affecting both 
wildlife and domestic animals or respond to emergencies impacting 
wildlife and domestic animals;
    (3) To Federal, State/Tribal, or local government agencies involved 
with public health such as the Departments of Health and Human Services 
and Homeland Security (DHS) for the purposes of collaborating with USDA 
to conduct, manage, or evaluate zoonotic disease or pest awareness, 
surveillance, response or reporting activities, or to respond to 
emergencies impacting humans and domestic animals;
    (4) To any agency, organization, or individual for the purpose of 
performing audit or oversight operations as authorized by law, but only 
such information as is necessary and relevant to such audit or 
oversight function;
    (5) To contractors and cooperators and their agents, grantees, 
experts, consultants, and others performing or working on a contract, 
service, grant, cooperative agreement, or other assignment for the 
USDA, when necessary to accomplish an agency function related to this 
system of records;
    (6) To the public through USDA websites: (a) Lists of participants 
in voluntary animal disease certification or quality assurance 
programs; (b) lists of individuals or entities not in compliance with 
animal disease regulations to reduce the potential risk of animal 
disease spread; and (c) list the herds of origin of exposed or 
potentially exposed animals when needed to notify individuals who may 
have acquired exposed or potentially exposed animals when other means 
of contact are unavailable;
    (7) To other individuals when needed to aid in containing or 
responding to a foreign or domestic animal disease or pest outbreak, 
bioterrorism, or other animal health emergency;
    (8) When a record on its face, or in conjunction with other records 
indicates a violation or potential violation of law, whether civil, 
criminal, or regulatory in nature, and whether arising by general 
statute or particular program, statute, or by regulation, rule, or 
order issued pursuant thereto, USDA may disclose the record to the 
appropriate agency, whether Federal, foreign, State, Tribal, local, or 
other public authority responsible for enforcing, investigating, or 
prosecuting such violation or charged with enforcing or implementing 
the statute, rule, regulation, or order issued pursuant thereto, if the 
information disclosed is relevant to any enforcement, regulatory, 
investigative, or prosecutive responsibility of the receiving entity;
    (9) To the Department of Justice when: (a) USDA or any component 
thereof; or (b) any employee of USDA in his or her individual capacity, 
or any employee of the agency in his or her individual capacity where 
the Department of Justice has agreed to represent the employee; or (c) 
the United States Government, is a party to litigation or has an 
interest in such litigation, and USDA determines that the records are 
relevant and necessary to the litigation and the use of such records by 
the Department of Justice is deemed by USDA to be for a purpose that is 
compatible with the purpose for which USDA collected the records;
    (10) In an appropriate proceeding before a court, grand jury, or 
administrative or adjudicative body or official, when USDA or other 
Agency representing USDA determines that the records are both relevant 
and necessary to the proceeding; or in an appropriate proceeding before 
an administrative or adjudicative body when the adjudicator determines 
the records to be relevant to the proceeding;
    (11) To appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when: (a) USDA 
suspects or has confirmed that there has been a breach of the system of 
records; (b) USDA has determined that as a result of the suspected or 
confirmed breach there is a risk of harm to individuals, USDA 
(including its information systems, programs, and operations), the 
Federal Government, or national security; and (c) the disclosure made 
to such agencies, entities, and persons is reasonably necessary to 
assist in connection with USDA's efforts to respond to the suspected or 
confirmed compromise and to prevent, minimize, or remedy such harm;
    (12) To another Federal agency or Federal entity, when information 
from this system of records is reasonably necessary to assist the 
recipient agency or entity in (a) responding to a suspected or 
confirmed breach or (b) preventing, minimizing, or remedying the risk 
of harm to individuals, the recipient agency or entity (including its 
information systems, programs, and operations), the Federal Government, 
or national security, resulting from a suspected or confirmed breach;
    (13) To a Congressional office in response to an inquiry from that 
Congressional office made at the written request of the individual 
about whom the records pertain;

[[Page 22979]]

    (14) To contractors and their agents, grantees, experts, 
consultants, and others performing or working on a contract, service, 
grant, cooperative agreement, or other assignment for USDA, when 
necessary to accomplish an agency function related to this system of 
records. Individuals providing information under this routine use are 
subject to the same Privacy Act requirements and limitations on 
disclosure as are applicable to USDA officers and employees; and
    (15) To the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) or 
other Federal Government agencies pursuant to records management 
activities being conducted under 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.

DISCLOSURE TO CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCIES:
    None.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF RECORDS:
    Server hard drives are backed up nightly. The Digital 
Infrastructure Services Center retains incremental and full system tape 
backups for 1 month. Backup media is regularly sent to an offsite 
backup storage facility for contingency purposes. The hard copy 
components of the system, including any paper records, and computer 
files, tapes, and disks are kept in a safeguarded environment with 
access only by authorized personnel.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS:
    Records can be retrieved by any recorded data field. However, 
records are mainly retrieved by the first and last name, address, or 
phone number of the listed contact person for, or the owner or manager 
of, the premises or animals subject to animal disease control or 
surveillance programs, animal, flock, herd, sample, or premises 
numbers.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
    Records will be retained permanently pending approval of a records 
retention schedule by the National Archives and Records Administration.

ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:
    The system is physically secured in a locked facility accessible 
only to authorized USDA personnel. Badges are required. Visitors must 
be accompanied by authorized staff at all times. Data is stored and 
backed up using protocols established by Digital Infrastructure Service 
Center (DISC). Access to the records in this system is limited to those 
individuals who need to know the information to perform their official 
duties and who have appropriate clearances or permissions. Users must 
have USDA eAuthentication credentials and sign in using authorized 
logins and passwords. Annually, all users must undergo information 
security training and sign rules of behavior. The Information 
Technology staff must additionally complete specialized role-based 
training and sign rules of behavior to ensure privacy integrity. 
Failure to comply with rules of behavior can result in corrective 
actions, including written reprimands, temporary suspension from duty, 
reassignment, demotion, or termination, suspension of system 
privileges, and possible criminal prosecution. The system 
administrators maintain and monitor audit trails.
    The hard copy components of the system, and computer files, tapes, 
and disks are kept in a safeguarded environment with access only by 
authorized personnel.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
    All requests for access to records must be in writing and should be 
submitted to the APHIS Privacy Act Officer, 4700 River Road Unit 50, 
Riverdale, MD 20737; or by facsimile (301) 734-5941; or by email 
[email protected]. In accordance with 7 CFR 1.112 (Procedures for 
requests pertaining to individual records in a record system), the 
request must include the full name of the individual making the 
request; the name of the system of records; and preference of 
inspection, in person or by mail. In accordance with 7 CFR 1.113, prior 
to inspection of the records, the requester shall present sufficient 
identification (e.g., driver's license, employee identification card, 
credit cards) to establish that the requester is the individual to whom 
the records pertain. In addition, if an individual submitting a request 
for access wishes to be supplied with copies of the records by mail, 
the requester must include with his or her request sufficient data for 
the agency to verify the requester's identity.

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
    Individuals seeking to contest or amend records maintained in this 
system of records must direct their request to the address indicated in 
the ``RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES'' paragraph, above and must follow the 
procedures set forth in 7 CFR 1.116 (Request for correction or 
amendment to record). All requests must state clearly and concisely 
what record is being contested, the reasons for contesting it, and the 
proposed amendment to the record.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
    Individuals may be notified if a record in this system of records 
pertains to them when the individuals request information utilizing the 
same procedures as those identified in the ``RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES'' 
paragraph above.

EXEMPTIONS CLAIMED FOR THE SYSTEM:
    None.

HISTORY:
    On November 28, 2011 (76 FR 72897, APHIS-2010-0007), USDA/APHIS-15, 
``APHIS Animal Health Surveillance and Monitoring System,'' was 
published as a new system of records and effective on January 9, 2012.
    A report on the modified system of records, required by 5 U.S.C. 
552a(r), as implemented by Office of Management and Budget Circular A-
108, was sent to the Chairman and Ranking Members of the Senate 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Chairwoman 
and Ranking Members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform, and the Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 27th day of March 2024.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-06941 Filed 4-2-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P