[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 6, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13257-13258]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-5326]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

February 29, 2012.
    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments 
regarding (a) 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; (b) the accuracy 
of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection

[[Page 13258]]

techniques or other forms of information technology should be addressed 
to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), [email protected] or fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental 
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-
7602. Comments regarding these information collections are best assured 
of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this 
notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling 
(202) 720-8958.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service

    Title: Emergency Management Response System (EMRS).
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0071.
    Summary of Collection: The Animal Health Protection Act (AHPA) of 
2002 is the primary Federal law governing the protection of animal 
health. The law gives the Secretary of Agriculture broad authority to 
detect, control, or eradicate pests or diseases of livestock or 
poultry. The Secretary may also prohibit or restrict import or export 
of any animal or related material if necessary to prevent the spread of 
any livestock or poultry pest or disease. Through the Foreign Animal 
Disease Surveillance Program, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) compiles essential epidemiological and diagnostic data 
that are used to define foreign animal diseases (FAD) and their risk 
factors. The data is compiled through the Veterinary Services Emergency 
Management Response System, a web-based database for reporting 
investigations of suspected FAD occurrences.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS collects information such as 
the purpose of the diagnostician's visit to the site, the name and 
address of the owner/manager, the type of operation being investigated, 
the number of and type of animals on the premises, whether any animals 
have been moved to or from the premises and when this movement 
occurred, number of sick or dead animals, the results of physical 
examinations of the affected animals, the results of postmortem 
examinations, and the number and kinds of samples taken, and the name 
of the suspected disease. APHIS uses the collected information to 
effectively prevent FAD occurrences and protect the health of the 
United States.
    Without the information, APHIS has no way to detect and monitor 
foreign animal disease outbreaks in the United States.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit State, 
Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 471.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,884.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Importation of Fruits and Vegetables.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0264.
    Summary of Collection: Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 
7701-7772), the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to regulate the 
importation of plants, plant products, and other articles to prevent 
the introduction of injurious plant pests. Regulations contained in 
Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 319 (Subpart-Fruit and 
Vegetables), Sections 319.56 et seq. implement the intent of this Act 
by prohibiting or restricting the importation of certain fruits and 
vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the world to 
prevent the introduction and dissemination of fruit flies and other 
injurious plant pests that are new to the United States or not widely 
distributed within the United States. These regulations are enforced by 
the Plant Protection and Quarantine, a program with USDA's Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
    Need and Use of the Information: The use of certain information 
collection activities including phytosanitary certificates, fruit fly 
monitoring records, and cooperative agreements will be used to allow 
the entry of certain fruits and vegetables into the United States. 
Without the information all shipment would need to be inspected very 
thoroughly, thereby requiring considerably more time and would slow the 
clearance of international shipments.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Federal 
Government.
    Number of Respondents: 15.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 123.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-5326 Filed 3-5-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P