[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 76 (Monday, April 21, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22080-22082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08961]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2014-0009]
Notice of Request for a New Information Collection: Meat
Slaughter Industry Survey
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 a new
information collection for a survey of the meat slaughter industry.
DATES: May 21, 2014.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this
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proposed rule. 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 Room
Manager, 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-2014-0009. 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 SW., Room 8-
164, Washington, DC 20250-3700 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gina Kouba, Paperwork Reduction Act
Coordinator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400
Independence Avenue SW., Room 6067, South Building, Washington, DC
20250; Telephone: (202) 690-6510.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Meat Slaughter Industry Survey.
Type of Request: New information collection.
Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the
functions of the Secretary of Agriculture (7 CFR 2.18, 2.53) as
specified in the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601, et
seq.). FSIS protects the public by verifying that meat and poultry
products are wholesome, not adulterated, and properly marked, labeled,
and packaged.
FSIS plans to request a new information collection to conduct a new
survey of the meat slaughter industry. In 2004, FSIS conducted a survey
of the meat slaughter industry to collect information on food safety
practices and technologies. This was part of a broader FSIS effort to
survey poultry slaughter, meat and poultry processing, and egg products
industries from 2003 to 2006. FSIS needs to survey the meat industry
again so that the Agency has current information on industry practices
for conducting regulatory impact analyses as required by OMB.
In this currently planned survey of meat slaughter establishments,
FSIS will collect data to provide the most accurate, up-to-date
information on industry practices and use of technologies. The
information gathered through the meat slaughter industry survey will
provide FSIS with reliable and valid information regarding food safety
practices in FSIS-regulated establishments; the Agency will use this
information to estimate costs in regulatory impact analyses. FSIS also
will use the survey data to evaluate the effectiveness of its meat
inspection program and to conduct analyses to assess the industry's
food safety technologies, sanitation practices, microbiological testing
practices, and recall readiness. The results will also be used in
conjunction with the results of the 2004 meat slaughter industry survey
to analyze trends in food safety practices and technologies over time.
FSIS has made the following estimates on the basis of an information
collection assessment.
Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take each
respondent 60 minutes and each non-respondent 12 minutes to participate
in the survey.
Respondents: Official meat slaughter establishments.
Estimated No. of Respondents: 417 respondents and 173 non-
respondents.
Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 451.6 hours. Copies
of this information collection assessment can be obtained from Gina
Kouba, Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety and Inspection
Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 6077, South Building,
Washington, DC 20250; Telephone: (202) 690-6510.
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 to both FSIS, at the
addresses provided above, and 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.
Additional Public Notification
FSIS will announce this notice online through the FSIS Web page
located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/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/subscribe. 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.
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
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equal opportunity provider and employer.
Done at Washington, DC, on April 15, 2014.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2014-08961 Filed 4-18-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P