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Agency Retrospective Review Plan Report—May 2012—USDA

Agency/

Sub-agency

RIN/OMB 

Control No.

Title of 

Initiative/Rule/ICR

Brief Description Actual or Target 

Completion 

Date

Anticipated savings in costs and /or information 

collection burdens

Progress updates 

and anticipated 

accomplishments

Notes

USDA – Food Safety

Food Safety 

& Inspection 

Service 

(FSIS)

0583-AD39 Electronic Import

Inspection and 

Certification of 

Imported Products and 

Foreign Establishments

This rule will amend import 

inspection regulations to 

provide for the electronic 

transmittal of foreign 

establishment certificates and 

foreign inspection certificates. 

FSIS will also propose to 

amend its regulations to give 

importers the option of 

submitting electronic import 

inspection applications.

Final rule to 

publish by 

12/2012.

The final rule, in conjunction with the Public Health 

Information System, will reduce the information 

collection burden on importers by approximately 

10,000 hours.

The electronic import system will also facilitate the 

import product foreign inspection and annual 

foreign establishment certifications by providing 

immediate and direct electronic government-togovernment exchange of information; as well as 

exchange of information with the CBP system.

Proposed rule is 

expected to publish

in 7/2012.

FSIS 0583-AD41 Electronic Export 

Application and 

Certification Fee

The electronic export 

application and certification 

system will be a component of 

the Agency's Public Health 

Information System (PHIS). The 

export component of PHIS will 

be available as an alternative to 

the paper-based application and 

certification process.

Final rule to 

publish by 

12/2012.

The final rule is expected to reduce the information 

collection burden. Actual amount TBD.

When an electronic government-to-government 

system interface or data exchange is used, 

fraudulent transactions’, such as false alterations 

and reproductions will be significantly reduced, if 

not eliminated. Moreover, the workload of the 

inspection personnel is reduced through the 

elimination of physical handling and processing of 

applications and certificates, reducing a two step 

process to one step.

Proposed rule 

published on January 

23, 2012. 
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Agency/

Sub-agency

RIN/OMB 

Control No.

Title of 

Initiative/Rule/ICR

Brief Description Actual or Target 

Completion 

Date

Anticipated savings in costs and /or information 

collection burdens

Progress updates 

and anticipated 

accomplishments

Notes

FSIS 0583-AC59 Prior Labeling Approval 

System: Generic Label 

Approval

This rulemaking will continue an 

effort initiated several years ago 

by amending FSIS' regulations to 

expand the types of labeling 

that are generically approved.

Final Rule to 

publish by 

12/2012.

The final rule is expected to reduce the information 

collection burden hours on industry by 31,091.

The proposed rule would be beneficial because it 

would streamline the generic labeling process, 

while imposing no additional cost burden on 

establishments. Consumers would benefit because 

industry would have the ability to introduce 

products to the marketplace more quickly. 

Moreover, the change would make better use of 

FSIS resources because it would reduce the number 

of labels required to be reviewed by the Agency.

Proposed rule 

published 12/2011; 

electronic system for 

label submission 

established in early 

2012.

FSIS 0583-AD32 Modernization of 

Poultry Slaughter 

inspection 

This rule will modernize young 

chicken and turkey slaughter 

inspection in the United States 

by focusing FSIS inspection 

resources on the areas of the 

poultry production system that 

pose the greatest risk to food 

safety. The new inspection 

system will shift the 

responsibility for detecting 

visible carcass defects from FSIS 

inspectors to plant employees. 

FSIS will continue to conduct an 

on-line carcass-by-carcass 

inspection, but FSIS inspectors 

will be located further down the 

production line, where they will 

be presented with carcasses 

that have fewer defects to 

inspect. 

Final rule to 

publish by 

12/2012 with a 

90-day 

implementation 

period. Plants 

will be allowed 

to opt in earlier. 

Rule to be 

implemented by

3/2013.

The final rule will reduce costs by making better use 

of the Agency’s inspection resources and improving 

the effectiveness of inspection systems. It is also 

expected to reduce the risk of foodborne illness in 

the United States and remove unnecessary barriers 

to innovation. The final rule will provide the 

framework for action to provide public healthbased inspection in all establishments that 

slaughter amenable poultry species.

FSIS expects the rule to help prevent an estimated 

5,200 illnesses. The Agency expects the average 

net benefits to the public health, the poultry 

industry and consumers to be $377.7 annually, with 

a range from $325.8 million to $442.7 

million. Benefits include cost savings of $258.9 

million, FSIS projected budget savings of $39.6 

million, and public health benefits totaling $79.2 

million. Annual costs to establishments are $20.3 

million. Therefore, annual net benefits of this rule 

are an estimated $357.4 million.

Proposed rule was 

published January 27, 

2012.

FSIS received 

requests for 

clarification on 

certain aspects 

of the 

proposal, the 

information 

was provided 

and the public 

comment 

period was 

extended until 

May 29, 2012.
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Agency/

Sub-agency

RIN/OMB 

Control No.

Title of 

Initiative/Rule/ICR

Brief Description Actual or Target

Completion 

Date

Anticipated savings in costs and /or information 

collection burdens

Progress updates 

and anticipated 

accomplishments

Notes

USDA – National Resources and Environment

Forest 

Service(FS)

0596-AD01 National Environmental 

Policy Act Efficiencies

The Forest Service is proposing 

to develop and provide notice 

and comment on the addition of 

new categorical exclusions (CEs) 

to its NEPA Regulations. These 

CEs, designed to expedite 

landscape restoration activities 

on National Forests, Grasslands, 

and Prairies, will supplement 

existing Agency categorical 

exclusions found in 36 CFR part 

220.6

Final Rule to 

publish by 

10/2012.

Categorical exclusions will reduce cost and time 

commitment burden on the Agency without 

reducing environmental protection.

Proposed rule is 

expected to publish 

7/2012.

USDA – Rural Development

Rural 

Business 

Services 

(RBS)

0570-AA76

0570-0050

0570-0061

0570-0059

Rural Energy America 

Program

The rule proposes to change the 

RES and EEI grant application 

requirements to reduce burden 

and streamline the application 

process by requesting 

documentation for a complete 

application based on total 

project costs.

Final Rule to 

publish by 

9/2013.

The final rule is expected to reduce the information 

collection burden by approximately 100,000 hours 

per year, or about 30 percent of the current effort 

required under the Interim Rule. This reduction is 

achieved most notably in RES/EEI grant portion of 

the rule in the following areas: estimated 20 

percent reduction in the number of hours it takes 

to complete a technical report for those 

applications for projects with total project costs 

(TPC) of more than $80,000 to $200,000; the 

elimination of a technical report for those 

applications for projects with TPC of $80,000 or 

less; and a 50 percent reduction in the number of 

hours it takes to complete the narrative portion of 

an application.

Proposed rule is 

currently in 

Departmental 

clearance and 

expected to publish 

8/2012.
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Agency/

Sub-agency

RIN/OMB 

Control No.

Title of 

Initiative/Rule/ICR

Brief Description Actual or Target 

Completion 

Date

Anticipated savings in costs and /or information 

collection burdens

Progress updates 

and anticipated 

accomplishments

Notes

RBS 0570–AA85 Business and Industry 

Loan Guaranteed 

Program

The proposed rule will alter the 

way RBS services the loan 

guarantees making the program 

operate at a lower cost

Final rule to be 

published by

9/2013.

Estimated reduction in burden by approximately 

3,000 hours or slightly less than 10 percent of the 

current burden estimate for the rule.

Proposed rule is 

expected to publish 

8/2012.

Rural 

Housing 

Service

0575-AC91 Community Facilities 

Loan and Grants

Update program operation in an 

effort to consolidate, 

streamline, and simplify existing 

processes. 

Final Rule to 

publish in 

2/2013.

The agency is aligning its application requirements 

with the lending industry. As such, approximately

90 applicants each year would not be required to 

provide an examination opinion, which averages 

about $45,000 each. Hence, this change will save 

the public approximately $4 million a year.

Proposed rule is 

expected to publish 

9/2012.

USDA – Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services

Food & 

Nutrition 

Service 

(FNS)

0584–AD87 Supplemental Nutrition 

Assistance Program 

(SNAP): Eligibility, 

Certification, and 

Employment and 

Training Provisions

FNS is proposing to allow 

additional administrative 

options for States to use 

telephone interviews and 

telephonic and electronic 

signature in certifying clients for 

the SNAP programs. The 

proposed change, which has 

been authorized by USDA in 

many States under program 

waivers, will be integrated in 

regulation pursuant to the 2008 

Farm Bill.

Final rule is 

expected to be 

published by 

12/2012.

Reduction in burden for SNAP applicant households 

is about 20.7 million hours. 

Permitting households to fulfill the interview 

requirement without the need to visit the local 

SNAP office reduces transportation costs and 

potential loss of wages for households, and 

reducing burden for State SNAP agencies that 

administer the program. 

Proposed rule 

published 5/4/2011

at 76 FR 25414 .

FNS 0584-AD60 Direct and Discretionary 

Certification in the 

School Meals Programs

Requiring local educational 

agencies to conduct direct 

certification in conjunction with 

the SNAP. Under the direct 

certification process, a local 

educational agency obtains 

documentation of a child's 

receipt of SNAP benefits. 

Effective in the 

2011-2012 

school year.

Reduction in burden hours for program participants 

is roughly 113,000 hours per year. 

Interim rule 

published 4/2011; 

effective in the 

coming school year 

(2011-12).
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Agency/

Sub-agency

RIN/OMB 

Control No.

Title of 

Initiative/Rule/ICR

Brief Description Actual or Target 

Completion 

Date

Anticipated savings in costs and /or information 

collection burdens

Progress updates 

and anticipated 

accomplishments

Notes

USDA – Farm & Foreign Agricultural Services

Farm 

Service 

Agency

0563-New Acreage and Crop 

Reporting Streamlining 

Initiative

To improve and streamline the 

existing information collection 

activities currently approved by 

OMB by eliminating or 

minimizing the duplication of 

information collected by each of 

the agencies

Implementation 

is to be 

conducted in 

phases with the 

first phase 

occurring in 

selected 

counties in 

Kansas.

The final rule is expected to reduce the information 

collection burden. Actual amount TBD.

OMB cleared the 

information 

collection on March 

23, 2012. 

USDA – Marketing & Regulatory Programs

Animal Plant 

Health & 

Inspection 

Service 

(APHIS)

0579–AD23

0579-AC02

Plus the 

various 

OMB 

Control 

Numbers 

related to 

the 

collections 

that will be 

part of 

CARPOL

Certification, 

Accreditation, 

Registration, Permits, 

and other Licenses 

(CARPOL)

APHIS is creating a new 

electronic system to replace its 

ePermits system that will

integrate programs/processes 

that are currently not electronic 

and/or part of a consolidated 

system. The CARPOL system will 

streamline all certification, 

accreditation, registration, 

permitting, and other license 

processes across APHIS and will 

communicate with other 

systems. 

The Target 

Completion 

Date is 12/2014; 

however, this 

will be an 

ongoing 

initiative.

APHIS anticipates both savings in cost and 

information collection burdens for APHIS and the 

public. The affected publics would be State, Local, 

and Tribal Governments; Businesses and Other ForProfits (small entities included); Not-for-Profits; 

Farms; Individuals and Households; and Foreign 

Federal Governments.

The Assessment of 

business practices 

will be completed by 

September 2012, 

which will better 

identify exactly what 

data will enter the

system and how 

much time and 

money can be saved 

as a result.

Once the 

Assessment is 

complete, 

APHIS will have 

a much better 

idea of the 

positive impact 

of this new 

system.
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Agency/

Sub-agency

RIN/OMB 

Control No.

Title of 

Initiative/Rule/ICR

Brief Description Actual or Target 

Completion 

Date

Anticipated savings in costs and /or information 

collection burdens

Progress updates 

and anticipated 

accomplishments

Notes

APHIS 0579-0007, 

0579-0047, 

0579-

0070/0137, 

0579-0101, 

0579-0127, 

0579-0137, 

0579-0146, 

0579-0148, 

0579-0185, 

0579-0189, 

0579-0192, 

0579-0324, 

0579-0338, 

0579-0367

Animal Disease Testing 

and Animal Traceability 

via Mobile Information 

Management (MIM) 

Technology

MIM technology uses devices 

similar to tablets and PDAs to 

allow officials to wave a wand in 

front of an animal and read the

animal’s identification number.

The MIM device can record test 

results, print labels with all 

necessary information for test 

tubes to be submitted to a lab, 

and can file and store this 

information. When samples are

submitted to a lab, the lab can 

transmit the test results to the 

appropriate official to take 

immediate action. This reduces 

the amount of time spent 

waiting for results and the cost 

of mailing or transporting the 

results from the lab to the 

official. 

APHIS plans to 

add devices and 

increase the 

functionality of 

the devices as 

necessary.

APHIS estimates that 136,400 hours (128,412 hours 

for Business –mostly small business) (7,979 hours 

for State, Local, and Tribal Governments) could be 

saved each year.

There are 896,000+ 

unique AIN/RFID tags 

and 576,000 unique 

USDA metal tags now 

in use. APHIS

Accredited 

Veterinarians in 

Michigan, California, 

Montana, Ohio, 

Kansas, Colorado, 

and New Mexico

have started to use 

the MIM technology 

for cattle, and 1.4 

million unique animal 

sightings have been 

uploaded into the 

MIM repository. In 

Pennsylvania, Maine, 

and Texas, APHIS 

uses MIM technology 

to record animals 

that are exported as 

well as those 

rejected for export at 

the port.