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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 15 (Friday, January 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3547-3548]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01054]

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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
appearing in this section.

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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 15 / Friday, January 23, 2015 / 
Notices

[[Page 3547]]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2014-0074]

Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Interstate Movement of Sheep and Goats and 
Recordkeeping for Approved Livestock Facilities and Slaughtering and 
Rendering Establishments

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision to and extension of approval of an information 
collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection associated with regulations for the interstate 
movement of sheep and goats and recordkeeping for approved livestock 
facilities and slaughtering and rendering establishments.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
24, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0074.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2014-0074, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2014-
0074 or in our reading room, which is located in Room 1141 of the USDA 
South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, 
DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, 
please call (202) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the interstate 
movement of sheep and goats and recordkeeping for approved livestock 
facilities and slaughtering and rendering establishments, contact Dr. 
Gary S. Ross, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Surveillance, Cattle Health 
Center, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 
851-3535. For copies of more detailed information on the information 
collection, contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection 
Coordinator, at (301) 851-2727.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Interstate Movement of Sheep and Goats and Recordkeeping for 
Approved Livestock Facilities and Slaughtering and Rendering 
Establishments.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0258.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et 
seq.), the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is authorized, among other things, to 
prohibit or restrict the interstate movement of animals and animal 
products to prevent the dissemination within the United States of 
animal diseases and pests of livestock and to conduct programs to 
detect, control, and eradicate pests and diseases of livestock. In 
support of this mission, APHIS' Veterinary Services (VS) prohibits or 
restricts the interstate movement of livestock that have, or have been 
exposed to, certain diseases.
    APHIS regulations in 9 CFR part 71 restrict the interstate movement 
of livestock, including sheep and goats, to control the spread of 
disease and include provisions for livestock facilities that handle 
livestock moving in interstate commerce to be approved by APHIS. These 
requirements are intended to ensure that such facilities are 
constructed and operated in a manner that will help prevent the spread 
of disease and involve information collection activities, including an 
Approval of Livestock Facilities Agreement and recordkeeping.
    The regulations in Sec.  71.20 contain provisions under which 
livestock facilities \1\ may acquire and retain status as an approved 
facility. To obtain approval, facilities must enter into an agreement 
with APHIS in which they agree to follow certain procedures when 
handling livestock entering the facility. Part of this agreement states 
that documents such as weight tickets, sales slips, and records of 
origin, identification, and destination that relate to livestock that 
are in, or that have been in, the facility shall be maintained by the 
facility for a period of 5 years (2 years if the records regard only 
swine or poultry). Such records would be critical in the event that 
APHIS or State animal health officials needed to conduct a disease 
traceback investigation.
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    \1\ On January 2, 2015, APHIS published a proposed rule in the 
Federal Register (80 FR 6-13, Docket No. APHIS-2014-0018) that 
proposes to amend the regulations governing approval of facilities 
that receive livestock moved in interstate commerce. In that 
document, we propose to add and define the term approved livestock 
marketing facility in the regulations. If the proposed rule is 
finalized, we will revise this collection at the next request for 
extension of approval of this information collection.
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    Section 71.20 also requires, among other things, authorized 
personnel at approved livestock facilities to sign an agreement that 
they will meet the requirements listed in that section, such as 
ensuring the facilities contain well-constructed and well-lighted 
livestock handling chutes, pens, alleys, and sales rings and allowing 
APHIS or its representatives to inspect, officially identify, 
vaccinate, take blood and tissue specimens for testing purposes.
    Section 71.21 of the regulations requires, among other things, 
authorized personnel at listed slaughtering and rendering facilities to 
sign an agreement that they will meet the requirements listed in that 
section, such as providing office and sample collection space and 
allowing APHIS or its representatives to take blood and tissue 
specimens from livestock, record the identification of animals, retain 
any external or internal identification devices, and conduct records 
inspections. The listing agreement is the VS Listing Agreement for a 
Slaughter Establishment Handling Livestock or Livestock Carcasses (Non-

[[Page 3548]]

Poultry) in Interstate Commerce Pursuant to Title 9, Code of Federal 
Regulations (VS Form 10-6).
    This notice includes a description of the information collection 
requirements currently approved by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for recordkeeping for approved livestock facilities and 
slaughtering and rendering establishments under number 0579-0342, and 
for the interstate movement of sheep and goats under number 0579-0258. 
These collections pertain to the same regulations (Sec. Sec.  71.20 and 
71.21); therefore, we will consolidate them into one collection. After 
OMB approves and combines the burden for both collections under one 
collection (number 0579-0258), the Department will retire number 0579-
0342.
    We are asking OMB to approve our use of these information 
collection activities, as described, for an additional 3 years.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. 
These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate 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;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, 
electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 0.5 hours per response.
    Respondents: Livestock marketing facility personnel, owners or 
operators of livestock facilities that handle animals moving 
interstate, authorized personnel at listed slaughter and rendering 
facilities, and State animal health officials.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 234.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 5.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 1,026.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 546 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per 
response.)
    All 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.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 16th day of January 2015.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-01054 Filed 1-22-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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