7124 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 28 / Friday, February 10, 2012 / Notices 

individual listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 6th day of 

February 2012. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–3189 Filed 2–9–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0010] 

Information Sharing With Agency 

Stakeholders; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Request for information and 

notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: We are informing the public 

that the Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS) is soliciting 

feedback from our stakeholders in 

several areas having to do with our 

partnerships with businesses, academia, 

and other levels of government. We are 

also announcing that APHIS is hosting 

a public meeting to share information 

about the Agency’s budget, process 

improvement efforts, and modernization 

initiatives and to provide an 

opportunity for stakeholders to share 

their thoughts on partnerships and the 

Agency’s critical services. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

February 27, 2012, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. 

We will accept stakeholder feedback on 

the specific topics raised in this notice 

until March 23, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in 

the Jefferson Auditorium at the USDA 

South Building, 1400 Independence 

Avenue SW., Washington, DC. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Hallie Zimmers, Stakeholder Liaison, 

Legislative and Public Affairs, APHIS, 

Room 1153, 1400 Independence Avenue 

SW., Washington, DC 20250; phone 

(202) 720–0378. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) is 

currently undertaking a variety of efforts 

to transform itself into a customerfocused, high-performing organization. 

In this context, USDA’s Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 

is focusing on ways to share timely 

information with its stakeholders and 

communicate the value APHIS places 

on our many and diverse stakeholder 

relationships. 

As part of a larger effort to enhance 

stakeholder communication, APHIS is 

hosting an open meeting with all 

interested stakeholders to talk about the 

Agency’s budget, process improvement 

efforts, and modernization initiatives 

and to provide stakeholders with an 

opportunity to share their thoughts on 

partnerships and the Agency’s critical 

services. While we welcome comments 

and feedback on all aspects of APHISstakeholder partnerships and the 

Agency’s critical services, we are 

particularly interested in our 

stakeholders’ thoughts on the topics 

discussed below. 

In this era of shrinking budgets, 

Federal Agencies are facing hard 

choices about the delivery of important 

services, and APHIS is no exception. 

Some decisions have already been made 

with respect to our programs, and we 

anticipate more difficult choices will be 

required in the future. This means that 

it will be more important than ever for 

APHIS to understand its stakeholders’ 

concerns and priorities. 

1. As we take stock of our current 

programs and services and consider 

where, if necessary, there should be 

strategic cuts or across-the-board 

reductions, we are interested in hearing 

from stakeholders about those APHIS 

activities you most value and where and 

how you think the Agency might make 

responsible changes. 

• In your opinion, what are the three 

to five most essential services APHIS 

provides and why? 

• Please share any feedback regarding 

how you feel we can best structure or 

provide these services. 

• When you or your members seek 

APHIS’ assistance, do you primarily rely 

on our local field offices, State offices, 

regional offices, research centers and 

field stations, or headquarters for 

support? Why? 

• As we continue to look at ways to 

improve our processes and enhance 

customer service, what 

recommendations do you have for 

specific efforts we could undertake in 

2012? 

2. Given limited resources, APHIS is 

seeking new ways to enhance existing 

partnerships and build new ones. 

• How might we strengthen current 

partnerships or collaborate in new ways 

to accomplish critical mission 

activities? 

• Do you see opportunities for 

APHIS, State governments, tribes, 

industry and academia to redefine 

traditional roles to find efficiencies or 

improvements in the way we 

collectively safeguard American 

agriculture? As best you can, please be 

specific or provide examples. 

3. Please provide any additional 

comments or feedback you would like to 

share with APHIS’ leadership, 

especially as it relates to how you like 

to see APHIS management communicate 

with you at the local, regional, and 

national level. Please be specific. 

You may submit your thoughts on 

these questions by sending them to the 

person listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT or by using the 

Web form provided on the APHIS 

stakeholder information Web site at 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/

stakeholders/. Responses may also be 

submitted via email to 

Partnerships@aphis.usda.gov. 

On-site registration will begin at noon 

on the day of the meeting. All 

participants must register. If you require 

special accommodations, such as a sign 

language interpreter, or if you have any 

questions regarding the meeting, please 

call or write the person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 

If you are unable to attend the 

meeting in person, it will be streamed 

on the Internet as a live Webcast. To 

view the Webcast, go to http:// 

www.aphis.usda.gov/stakeholders/ and 

follow the instructions to access the 

streaming video and audio in ‘‘listen 

only’’ mode. We recommend you 

connect at least 5 minutes prior to the 

start of the meeting. A recording of the 

Webcast will be posted to the APHIS 

stakeholder information page the 

following day, and a written transcript 

will be posted to the page as soon as it 

is available. 

Persons attending the February 27, 

2012, meeting in Washington, DC, will 

be required to sign in at the entrance to 

the USDA South Building located at 

14th Street and Independence Avenue, 

entering through Wing 7. Photo 

identification is required to gain access 

to the building. The nearest Metro 

station is the Smithsonian station on the 

Blue/Orange Lines, which is within easy 

walking distance. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 6th day of 

February 2012. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–3186 Filed 2–9–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 


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