[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 142 (Wednesday, July 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40445-40446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16033]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2021-0036]


Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an 
Information Collection; Specimen Submission

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 livestock disease surveillance 
programs.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
September 27, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods.
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2021-0036 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, 
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
    <bullet> Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2021-0036, 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 regulations.gov or in our reading room, which is located 
in Room 1620 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 regarding livestock 
disease surveillance programs, contact Ms. Lori Swiderski, Program 
Coordinator, Director's Office, National Veterinary Services 
Laboratories, Diagnostics and Biologics, VS, APHIS, 1920 Dayton Ave., 
Ames, IA 50010; (515) 337-7405. For more information on the information 
collection reporting process, contact Mr. Joseph Moxey, APHIS' 
Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Specimen Submission.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0090.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.) 
provides the Secretary of Agriculture broad authority to prohibit or 
restrict, through orders and regulations, the importation or entry and 
interstate movement of any animal, article, or means of conveyance if 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) determines that the 
prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent the introduction or 
spread of any pest or disease of livestock within the United States.
    Disease prevention is the most effective method for maintaining a 
healthy animal population and for enhancing the United States' ability 
to globally compete in the trade of animals and animal products. 
However, animal disease prevention cannot be accomplished without the 
existence of an effective disease surveillance program, which is 
conducted by the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS).
    VS forms, which are critical to VS' mission, are routinely used 
whenever specimens (such as blood, milk, tissue, or urine) from any 
animal (such as

[[Page 40446]]

cattle, swine, sheep, goats, horses, and poultry) are submitted to the 
National Veterinary Services Laboratories for disease testing. If the 
information within these forms was not collected or collected less 
frequently, APHIS would not have the critical information necessary to 
effectively operate a disease surveillance program and identify the 
animals and herds from which the specimens were taken, allowing 
effective disease prevention and eradication.
    The animal disease surveillance program is based on information 
submitted on the specimen submission form and continuation sheet, or 
similar document, and the Parasite Submission form submitted for the 
Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program and the National Tick 
Surveillance Program to identify the individuals submitting tick 
samples and the animal sources of those samples.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (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. 
APHIS needs this outside input to help accomplish the following:
    (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 (such as through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques, 
e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses).
    Estimate of burden: The public burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.319 hours per response.
    Respondents: State veterinarians and other State personnel who are 
qualified and authorized to collect and submit specimens for laboratory 
analysis, accredited veterinarians, private veterinarians, animal 
health technicians, herd owners, private laboratories, and research 
institutions.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 1,871.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 17.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 32,546.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 10,390 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 22nd day of July 2021.
Michael Watson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-16033 Filed 7-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P