[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15455-15456]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-8174]


      
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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. 62, No. 62 / Tuesday, April 1, 1997 / 
Notices

[[Page 15455]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 94-116-6]


Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection and Request for Approval of a New Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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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 an extension of a currently approved information 
collection and the approval of a new information collection in support 
of a final rule that allows fresh Hass avocado fruit from Michoacan, 
Mexico, to be imported into certain areas of the United States under 
certain conditions.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by June 2, 1997 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding the accuracy of burden estimate, 
ways to minimize the burden (such as the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology), or any other 
aspect of this collection of information to: Docket No. 94-116-6, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, suite 3C03, 4700 River 
Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please send an original and 
three copies, and state that your comments refer to Docket 94-116-6. 
Comments received may be inspected at USDA, room 1141, South Building, 
14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. 
and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.
    Persons wishing to inspect comments are requested to call ahead on 
(202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the comment reading room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the final 
rule for Hass avocados from Michoacan, Mexico, contact Mr. Ronald 
Campbell, Staff Officer, Port Operations, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 139, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, (301) 734-6799. For copies of more 
detailed information on the information collection, contact Ms. Cathy 
McDuffie, APHIS'' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 734-
5190.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Importation of Fresh Hass Avocado Fruit Grown in Michoacan, 
Mexico.
    OMB Number: 0579-0049.
    Expiration Date of Approval: April 30, 1997.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection; approval of a new information collection.
    Abstract: On February 5, 1997, the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) published a final rule in the Federal 
Register (62 FR 5293-5315, Docket No. 94-116-5) amending 7 CFR 319.56 
to allow fresh Hass avocado fruit from Michoacan, Mexico, to be 
imported into certain areas of the United States under certain 
conditions. Avocados destined for the United States must be grown only 
in approved orchards in approved municipalities in Michoacan, Mexico. 
The conditions to which the importation of fresh Hass avocado fruit 
will be subject (including pest surveys and pest risk-reducing cultural 
practices, packinghouse procedures, inspection and shipping procedures, 
and restrictions on the time of year shipments may enter the United 
States) will reduce, to an insignificant level, the risk that certain 
exotic plant pests from Mexico will be introduced into the United 
States.
    The implementation of this rule will require us to engage in 
certain information collection activities. We are seeking Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval to employ these information 
collection activities in connection with this program.
    Nine of the 10 information collections described below are 
currently in use in other program areas and have received OMB approval 
for use in those programs. The remaining collection, i.e., a sticker 
identification system to be used in connection with Mexican avocado 
imports, is a new information collection requirement.
    Application for Permit: A U.S. importer who wishes to import fresh 
Hass avocado fruit to the United States must first apply for a permit 
from APHIS. The permit specifies a set of conditions under which the 
fruit can be brought into the United States.
    Trust Fund Agreement: Avocados can only be imported into the United 
States after the Mexican Avocado Industry Association (which represents 
the Mexican avocado growers, packers, and exporters) completes a trust 
fund agreement with APHIS for that shipping season. In this document, 
the Mexican Avocado Industry Association agrees to pay, in advance, for 
all estimated costs that we expect to incur via our participation in 
this program.
    Phytosanitary Certificate: Avocados from Michoacan, Mexico, will 
require a phytosanitary inspection certificate completed by Mexican 
plant health officials. This document certifies that the avocados 
originated from an area free of certain agricultural pests.
    Sticker With Registration Numbers: Packinghouse personnel in Mexico 
must label each avocado with a sticker that bears the registration 
number of the packinghouse. This identification system will facilitate 
any traceback investigations we may need to conduct.
    Marking Requirements: Avocados destined for the United States must 
be packed in boxes and clearly marked by packinghouse personnel with 
the identity of the grower, packinghouse, and exporter, and a statement 
that the avocados may be distributed only in specific States within the 
United States. This identification system will facilitate any traceback 
investigations we may need to conduct and will also ensure that the 
avocados are distributed only in those approved States listed in the 
regulations.
    Annual Work Plan: The Mexican Ministry of Agriculture must provide 
an annual work plan to us that details the activities and actions that 
will be implemented in order to meet our requirements concerning the 
exportation of fresh Hass avocado fruit to the United States.
    Pest Survey: Municipalities and orchards participating in this 
program must be surveyed via visual inspection

[[Page 15456]]

and trapping for avocado pests and fruit flies by Mexican plant health 
officials.
    Registration: Growers and packinghouse operators participating in 
this program must register with the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture's 
avocado export program. Registration ensures that participating 
orchards and packinghouses are adhering to a specific set of APHIS 
requirements.
    Infestation Information: If certain plant pests are detected in a 
participating orchard, packinghouse, or municipality, the Mexican 
Ministry of Agriculture must supply us with information concerning the 
circumstances of the infestation and the pest risk mitigation measures 
that are being implemented.
    Seals: Boxes of avocados must be placed in a refrigerated truck or 
refrigerated container and remain there while in transit through Mexico 
to the port of first arrival in the United States. Before leaving the 
packinghouse, a representative from the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture 
must secure the truck or container with a seal that must remain 
unbroken until arriving in the United States.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning these information collection 
activities. We need this outside input to help us:
    (1) Evaluate whether the information collection is necessary for 
the proper performance of our agency's functions, including whether the 
information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
information collection, 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 information collection on those who 
are to respond, through the use, as appropriate, of automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other collection technologies, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.0002 hours per response.
    Respondents: U.S. importers, growers and packinghouse operators in 
Mexico, Mexican plant protection authorities.
    Estimated number of respondents: 157.
    Estimated number of responses per respondent: 51,130.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 3,098.
    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 27th day of March 1997.
Donald W. Luchsinger,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 97-8174 Filed 3-31-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P