[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 112 (Tuesday, June 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27036-27037]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-12190]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0016]


Animal Disease Traceability System; Additional Public Meetings

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: This is to inform the public of two additional upcoming 
meetings regarding the Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) system. These 
regional meetings will provide additional opportunities for the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service to hear from the public, 
particularly from the cattle and bison sectors, about the successes and 
challenges of the current ADT framework and provide a venue for the 
exchange of ideas about ways to overcome these challenges and fill gaps 
in the existing system.

DATES: The meetings will be held on July 18 and 20, 2017, from 8 a.m. 
to 3:30 p.m. (local time) each day. We will accept written statements 
regarding the ADT system until July 31, 2017.

ADDRESSES: The public meetings will be held in the following locations:
     July 18: Embassy Suites Omaha Downtown, 555 South 10th 
Street, Omaha, NE.
     July 20: Dallas/Fort Worth Marriott Hotel & Golf Club at 
Champions Circle, 3300 Championship Parkway, Fort Worth, TX.
    You may also submit written statements using one of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0016.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2017-0016, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Sunny Geiser-Novotny, Cattle 
Health Staff/ADT Veterinarian, Surveillance, Preparedness, and Response 
Services, VS, APHIS, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building B, Mailstop 3E13, 
Room 3E97, Fort Collins, CO 80526, (970) 494-7372.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection

[[Page 27037]]

Service (APHIS) plans to hold two additional public meetings to receive 
input, particularly from the cattle and bison sectors, on enhancing the 
current Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) system. During April and May 
2017, meetings took place in Oklahoma City, OK; Riverdale, MD; 
Nashville, TN; Bloomington, MN; Denver, CO; Rancho Cordova, CA; and 
Billings, MT.
    The original ADT framework, as described in the January 6, 2013, 
final rule \1\ establishing the program, provided specific performance 
requirements for an intentionally flexible ADT system. This let States 
and individual producers use personally efficient methods to meet 
requirements to move their livestock between States.
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    \1\ See https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2009-0091.
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    These meetings will provide additional opportunities for APHIS to 
hear from the public about the successes and challenges of the current 
ADT framework and let attendees brainstorm ideas about overcoming these 
challenges and finding ways to fill gaps in the existing system. 
Although APHIS is especially interested during these sessions to hear 
from cattle and bison industry members, we welcome participation from 
all members of the public.
    Each meeting will start with an overview of the basic principles of 
ADT and progress made to date given by APHIS employees and a panel of 
State and industry representatives. A comment/question and answer 
session will follow. After a break for lunch, attendees will split off 
into breakout sessions to discuss challenge areas and come up with 
solutions. The entire group will reconvene to receive the highlights of 
the breakout sessions, and the meeting will end after some discussion 
of next steps and closing remarks.
    If you are planning to attend a meeting, we ask that you register 
in advance by visiting http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal-health/adt-meeting-registrations. Same-day registration will also be available at 
each meeting site. If you require special accommodations, such as a 
sign language interpreter, please call or write the individual listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Written statements about the 
current ADT system may be filed at the meetings or by using one of the 
methods described under ADDRESSES above.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 8th day of June 2017.
Michael C. Gregoire,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-12190 Filed 6-12-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P