[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 3, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40090-40091]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-15980]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2013-0021]
Notice of Request for Revision of a Currently Approved
Information Collection (Interstate Shipment of Meat and Poultry
Products)
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, 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, the Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request
revision of an information collection for the voluntary cooperative
interstate shipment program because the Agency has more recent data
concerning the program, and the information collection approval is
scheduled to expire on August 31, 2013. FSIS is estimating fewer burden
hours for this information collection than are currently approved
because fewer States and State establishments are participating in the
cooperative interstate shipment program than the Agency had originally
estimated three years ago.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before September
3, 2013.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this
notice. Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the
ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on this
Web page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for
submitting comments.
Mail, including CD-ROMs, etc.: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Patriots
Plaza 3, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Mailstop 3782, Room 8-163B,
Washington, DC 20250-3700.
Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to Patriots
Plaza 3, 355 E. Street SW., Room 8-163B, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2013-0021. Comments
received in response to this docket will be made available for public
inspection and posted without change, including any personal
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, go
to the FSIS Docket Room at Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E. Street, Room 8-164,
Washington, DC 20250-3700 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction
Act Coordinator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400
Independence Avenue SW., Room 6065, South Building, Washington, DC
20250; Telephone (202) 720-0345.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Cooperative Inspection Programs: Interstate Shipment of Meat
and Poultry Products.
Type of Request: Revision of an approved information collection.
OMB Control Number: 0583-0143.
Expiration Date: 8/31/2013.
Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the
functions of the Secretary of Agriculture (7 CFR 2.18, 2.55) 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.). FSIS protects the public by verifying that meat and poultry
products are wholesome, not adulterated, and properly marked, labeled,
and packaged.
FSIS is planning to request a revision of an approved information
collection addressing paperwork requirements for the voluntary
cooperative interstate shipment program of meat and poultry products
because the Agency has more recent data about the program, and the OMB
approval of the information collection will expire on August 31, 2013.
FSIS is estimating fewer burden hours for this information collection
than are currently approved because fewer States and State
establishments are participating in the cooperative interstate shipment
program than the Agency had originally estimated three years ago.
FSIS administers a voluntary cooperative inspection program under
which State-inspected establishments 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, Part 332, 381.187, and 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 that 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 381.514). In its request, a State must agree to
comply with certain
[[Page 40091]]
conditions in order 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.
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 (74
FR 24729). FSIS, in coordination with the State, will then decide
whether to select the establishments for the program.
Establishments that qualify for this program have to meet all
requirements under the FMIA or PPIA, and implementing regulations,
including FSIS requirements for recordkeeping (9 CFR 332.5 and
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 in order 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 381.517).
FSIS has made the following estimates on the basis of an
information collection assessment:
Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take each new State
an average of 40 hours for to prepare and submit a request to establish
a cooperative interstate shipment program. It will take each State 24
hours to prepare and submit an evaluation for each new establishment
entering the program. States will submit approximately 3 evaluations
per year.
FSIS estimates that 15 establishments per year will spend 16 hours
to modify their recordkeeping procedures to comply with Federal
standards and 5 minutes per establishment to file these records.
FSIS estimates that it will take each new establishment 15 minutes
to assist the SEC to locate the necessary records for review on the
initial visit. Every selected establishment will spend 10 minutes
assisting the SEC review its records approximately once a month.
Respondents: States and establishments.
Estimated No. of Respondents: 20 states and 60 establishments.
Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: One request per
each new State to establish a cooperative interstate shipment program
and approximately 3 evaluations of State-inspected establishments per
State.
A one-time modification of records for each newly selected
establishment whose recordkeeping does not comply with all Federal
standards. One initial SEC visit in which each newly selected
establishment will need to provide the SEC with access to all required
records. Each establishment selected for the program will need to
provide the FSIS access to its records on an ongoing basis. Total
number of estimated annual responses is 830.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,005 hours.
Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained
from John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety
and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 Independence SW., Room 6065, South
Building, Washington, DC 20250; Telephone: (202) 720-0345.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS's
functions, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of FSIS's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology 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 both to FSIS, at the
addresses provided above, and to the Desk Officer for Agriculture,
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, Washington, DC 20253.
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.
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination
in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color,
national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs,
sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited
bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille,
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's Target Center at
(202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY).
To file a written complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office
of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue
SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TTY).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Additional Public Notification
FSIS will announce this notice online through the FSIS Web page
located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/regulations/federal-register.
FSIS will also make copies of this Federal Register publication
available through the FSIS 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 constituents and
stakeholders. The Update is communicated via Listserv, a free
electronic mail subscription service for industry, trade groups,
consumer interest groups, health professionals, and other individuals
who have asked to be included. The Update is also available on the FSIS
Web page. In addition, FSIS offers an electronic mail subscription
service which provides automatic and customized access to selected food
safety news and information. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/programs-and-services/email-subscription-service.
Options range from recalls to export information to regulations,
directives and notices. Customers can add or delete subscriptions
themselves, and have the option to password protect their accounts.
Done at Washington, DC on: June 27, 2013.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2013-15980 Filed 6-28-13; 4:15 pm]
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