[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 112 (Monday, June 14, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31477-31478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-12420]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2021-0025]


Notice of Request for Reinstatement of an Information Collection; 
National Animal Health Monitoring System; Bison 2022 Study

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Reinstatement 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 the reinstatement of an information collection to 
conduct the National Animal Health Monitoring System Bison 2022 Study.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
August 13, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2021-0025 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-2021-0025, 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 www.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 on the NAHMS Bison 
2022 Study, contact Dr. Lynn Elliston-Gittings, Management Analyst, 
Program Coordination and Implementation, Center for Epidemiology and 
Animal Health, VS, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building B, Fort Collins, CO 
80524; (970) 305-6636. For information on the information collection 
process, contact Mr. Joseph Moxey, APHIS Paperwork Reduction Act 
Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fe94918d9b8e96d09391869b87be8b8d9a9fd0999188"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f79d988492879fd99a988f928eb782849396d9909881">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: National Animal Health Monitoring System; Bison 2022 Study.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0420.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement of an information collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et 
seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture is

[[Page 31478]]

authorized to protect the health of livestock, poultry, and aquaculture 
populations in the United States by preventing the introduction and 
interstate spread of serious diseases and pests of livestock and for 
eradicating such diseases within the United States when feasible. This 
authority has been delegated to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS).
    In connection with this mission, APHIS operates the National Animal 
Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), which collects on a national basis 
statistically valid and scientifically sound data on the prevalence and 
economic importance of livestock poultry and aquaculture disease risk 
factors. NAHMS' studies have evolved into a collaborative government 
and industry initiative to help determine the most effective means of 
preventing and controlling diseases of livestock. APHIS is the only 
Federal agency responsible for collecting data on livestock. 
Participation in any NAHMS study is voluntary and all data are 
confidential.
    APHIS plans to conduct a Bison 2022 Study to obtain information 
about the livestock population and to provide a foundation for possible 
future studies. The objectives of the study are to:
    <bullet> Describe status and changes in the U.S. bison industry 
from 2014 to 2022, including operation characteristics (such as 
inventory, size, and type), production purposes, and marketing 
practices.
    <bullet> Describe current U.S. bison industry production practices 
and challenges, including animal management and welfare, nutrition and 
range management, and environmental stewardship.
    <bullet> Describe health management and biosecurity practices on 
U.S. bison operations.
    <bullet> Describe producer-reported occurrence of select health 
problems, associated management practices or actions, and causes of 
bison mortality.
    The study will consist of two collection phases. The first phase 
consists of a producer informed consent form and a self-administered 
paper or electronic survey administered by USDA's National Agricultural 
Statistics Service (NASS). The second, biologics phase, includes a 
microbe collection record, two fecal parasite collection records, and a 
forage collection record, each documenting biologic samples collected 
and submitted by producers who choose to participate in the second 
phase to receive biologic results from their herds. All producers in 
the study will receive a study evaluation upon conclusion of the study. 
The information collected will be used by APHIS to describe current 
bison health and management practices, help policymakers and industry 
make informed decisions, help researchers and private enterprise 
identify and focus on vital issues related to bison health and 
productivity, facilitate the education of future producers and 
veterinarians, and conduct economic analyses of the health and 
production of the U.S. bison industry.
    On March 20, 2012, NAHMS was recognized by the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) as a statistical unit under the Confidential 
Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA). 
All information acquired under the Bison 2022 Study's NASS phase will 
be used for statistical purposes only and will be treated as 
confidential in accordance with CIPSEA guidelines. Only NAHMS staff and 
designated agents will be permitted access to individual-level data. 
The biologics phase of the study will not be collected under CIPSEA, 
rather will be protected as Confidential Business Information as 
defined in 19 CFR 201.6. Respondent information will be protected by 
ensuring that no identifying information is linked to the data.
    We are asking OMB to approve our use of these information 
collection activities, as described, for 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 burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1.25 hours per response.
    Respondents: Bison owners and producers.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 2,000.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.5.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 2,994.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 3,741 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 9th day of June 2021.
Mark Davidson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-12420 Filed 6-11-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P


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