[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 25 (Monday, February 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6501-6503]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02326]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2015-0045]
Notice of Request To Renew an Approved Information Collection;
Importation and Transportation of Meat, Poultry, and Egg 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 renew the
approved information collection regarding the importation and
transportation of meat, poultry, and egg products. The approval for
this information collection will expire on May 31, 2016.
DATES: Submit comments on or before April 8, 2016.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this
information collection. 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, Docket
Clerk, Patriots Plaza 3, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Mailstop 3782,
Room 8-163A, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to Patriots
Plaza 3, 355 E Street SW., Room 8-163A, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2015-0045. 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
[[Page 6502]]
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 6065, South Building, Washington, DC
20250; (202) 720-5627.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Importation and Transportation of Meat, Poultry, and Egg
Products.
OMB Control Number: 0583-0094.
Type of Request: Renewal of an approved 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.), the Poultry Products and Inspection Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451,
et seq.), and the Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031,
et seq.). FSIS protects the public by verifying that meat, poultry, and
egg products are safe, wholesome, not adulterated, and correctly
labeled.
FSIS is planning to request a renewal of this approved information
collection because it is due to expire on May 31, 2016. This
information collection includes (1) foreign inspection certificates
required by FSIS to export meat, poultry, and egg products to the
United States (9 CFR 327.2 and 381.196); (2) documentation required by
FSIS for official import establishments to pre-stamp imported product
with the inspection legend before reinspection is complete (9 CFR
327.10(d) and 381.204(f)); and (3) documentation required to transport
meat and poultry shipments under seal (FSIS Form 7350-1, Request and
Notice of Shipment of Sealed Meat and Poultry) (9 CFR 325.5).
(1) Foreign countries that wish to export meat, poultry, and egg
products to the United States must establish eligibility to do so by
putting in place inspection systems are ``equivalent to'' the U.S.
inspection system (9 CFR 327.2 and 381.196) and by annually certifying
that they continue to do so. Meat, poultry, and egg products intended
for importation into the U.S. must be accompanied by an inspection
certificate signed by an official of the foreign government responsible
for the inspection and certification of the product (9 CFR 327.4,
381.197, and 590.915).
(2) Import establishments that wish to pre-stamp imported product
with the inspection legend before FSIS inspection is complete must
submit a letter to FSIS that explains and requests approval for the
establishment's pre-stamping procedure (9 CFR 327.10(d) and
381.204(f)).
(3) Unless accounted for in an establishment's HACCP plan, meat and
poultry products that do not bear the mark of inspection and that are
to be shipped from one official establishment to another for further
processing must be transported under USDA seal to prevent such unmarked
product from entering into commerce (9 CFR 325.5). To track product
shipped under seal, FSIS requires the shipping establishment to
complete FSIS Form 7350-1, which identifies the type, amount, and
weight of the product.
FSIS has made the following estimates on the basis of an
information collection assessment.
Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it takes each respondent an
average of 29.6 hours per year to complete the foreign inspection
certificates, pre-stamp documentation, and documentation required to
transport meat and poultry shipments.
Respondents: Importers, establishments, foreign governments.
Estimated No. of Respondents: 136.
Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: 650.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,026 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 SW., Room 6077, South
Building, Washington, DC 20250, (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
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal
Register publication on-line through the FSIS Web page located at:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
FSIS also will make copies of this 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 our constituents and
stakeholders. The Update is available on the FSIS Web page. Through the
Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more
diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email 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, regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add or
delete subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password
protect their accounts.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status,
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs,
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or
activity conducted by the USDA.
How To File a Complaint of Discrimination
To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your
authorized representative.
Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax,
or email:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410.
[[Page 6503]]
Fax: (202) 690-7442.
Email: [email protected].
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), should contact
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
Done at Washington, DC, on: February 2, 2016.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2016-02326 Filed 2-5-16; 8:45 am]
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