Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 12 / Wednesday, January 21, 2009 / Notices 3545 

Livestock and Meat Marketing Claims, 

by this notice. 

U.S. Standards for Livestock and Meat 

Marketing Claims, Naturally Raised 

Claim for Livestock and the Meat and 

Meat Products Derived From Such 

Livestock 

Background: This claim applies to 

livestock used for meat and meat 

products that were raised entirely 

without growth promotants, antibiotics, 

and animal (mammalian, avian, and 

aquatic) by-products derived from the 

slaughter/harvest processes including 

meat and fat, animal waste materials 

(e.g., manure and litter), or aquatic byproducts (e.g., fishmeal and fish oil). 

The administration of growth 

promotants, including natural 

hormones, synthetic hormones, 

production promotants, estrus 

suppressants, beta agonists, or other 

synthetic growth promotants is 

prohibited from birth to slaughter. 

Collectively, these substances are 

referred to in the Naturally Raised 

Marketing Claim standard as ‘‘growth 

promotants.’’ 

No antibiotics can be administered, by 

any method (e.g., through feed or water, 

or by injection), from birth to slaughter. 

This includes low-level (subtherapeutic) or therapeutic level doses, 

sulfonamides, ionophores (except for 

ionophores used as coccidiostats for 

parasite control as long as the animals 

marketed or meat product label states no 

antibiotics other than ionophores were 

used to prevent parasitism), or any other 

synthetic antimicrobial. Ionophores may 

only be used according to 

manufacturer’s label recommendations 

for coccidiostat levels (parasite control). 

If an animal is in need of medical 

attention, proper treatment should be 

administered in an attempt to improve 

the health of the animal. If any 

prohibited substances are administered, 

the treated animal must be identified 

and excluded from the program. 

Vitamin and mineral supplementation is 

permissible. 

Verification of the claim will be 

accomplished through an audit of the 

production process. The producer must 

be able to verify for AMS that the 

Naturally Raised Marketing Claim 

standard requirements are being met 

through a detailed, documented quality 

management system. 

Claim and Standard: 

Naturally Raised—Livestock used for 

the production of meat and meat 

products that have been raised entirely 

without growth promotants, antibiotics 

(except for ionophores used as 

coccidiostats for parasite control), and 

have never been fed animal 

(mammalian, avian, or aquatic) byproducts derived from the slaughter/ 

harvest processes, including meat and 

fat, animal waste materials (e.g., manure 

and litter), and aquatic by-products (e.g., 

fishmeal and fish oil). All products 

labeled with a naturally raised 

marketing claim must incorporate 

information explicitly stating that 

animals have been raised in a manner 

that meets the following conditions: (1) 

No growth promotants were 

administered to the animals; (2) no 

antibiotics (other than ionophores used 

to prevent parasitism) were 

administered to the animal; and (3) no 

animal by-products were fed to the 

animals. If ionophores used only to 

prevent parasitism were administered to 

the animals, they may be labeled with 

the naturally raised marketing claims if 

that fact is explicitly noted. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621–1627. 

Dated: January 13, 2009. 

James E. Link, 

Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–1007 Filed 1–16–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2008–0146] 

Notice of Request for Approval of an 

Information Collection; National 

Animal Health Laboratory Network 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Approval of an information 

collection; comment request. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice announces the Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service’s intention to 

request approval of an information 

collection associated with the National 

Animal Health Laboratory Network. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before March 23, 

2009. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/ 

component/main?main=DocketDetail&

d=APHIS-2008-0146 to submit or view 

comments and to view supporting and 

related materials available 

electronically. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Please send two copies of your comment 

to Docket No. APHIS–2008–0146, 

Regulatory Analysis and Development, 

PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700 

River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 

20737–1238. Please state that your 

comment refers to Docket No. APHIS– 

2008–0146. 

Reading Room: You may read any 

comments that we receive on this 

docket in our reading room. The reading 

room is located in room 1141 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) 690–2817 before 

coming. 

Other Information: Additional 

information about APHIS and its 

programs is available on the Internet at 

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

information on the National Animal 

Health Laboratory Network, contact Dr. 

Barbara Martin, Coordinator, National 

Animal Health Laboratory Network, 

NVSL, VS, APHIS, 1800 Dayton 

Avenue, Ames, IA 50010; (515) 663– 

7731. For copies of more detailed 

information on the information 

collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, 

APHIS’ Information Collection 

Coordinator, at (301) 851–2908. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: National Animal Health 

Laboratory Network. 

OMB Number: 0579–XXXX. 

Type of Request: Approval of an 

information collection. 

Abstract: The Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 

conducts activities and maintains 

records pursuant to its missions and 

responsibilities authorized by the 

Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 

8301–8317); Public Health Security and 

Bioterrorism Preparedness and 

Response Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107–188); 

Homeland Security Presidential 

Directive-7; and Homeland Security 

Presidential Directive-9. 

The purpose of the National Animal 

Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) is 

to coordinate and network Federal 

laboratory capacity with the capacity 

and extensive infrastructure (facilities, 

professional expertise, and support) of 

State and university laboratories. APHIS 

uses the system to enhance early 

detection of foreign animal disease 

agents and newly emerging diseases, to 

better respond to animal health 

emergencies (including bioterrorist 

events) that threaten the nation’s food 

supply and public health, and to assist 

in assessing the nation’s animal health 

status through targeted surveillance and 

shared animal health diagnostic data. 

mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES

3546 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 12 / Wednesday, January 21, 2009 / Notices 

The NAHLN collects information, 

including information about 

laboratories, laboratory personnel 

(employee) and emergency personnel 

contacts, animals and owners, and 

animal disease diagnostic test results. 

We are asking the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) to 

approve our use of these information 

collection activities 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 

reporting burden for this collection of 

information is estimated to average 

0.099932 hours per response. 

Respondents: State and university 

veterinary diagnostic laboratory 

personnel and State animal health 

officials. 

Estimated annual number of 

respondents: 89. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses per respondent: 875.98876. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses: 77,963. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents: 7,791 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 13th day of 

January 2009. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–1103 Filed 1–16–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Foreign Agricultural Service 

Consultative Group to Eliminate the 

Use of Child Labor and Forced Labor 

in Imported Agricultural Products 

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Request for Applications. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA) requests nominations of 

individuals to serve as a nongovernment member of the Consultative 

Group to Eliminate the Use of Child 

Labor and Forced Labor in Imported 

Agricultural Products (Consultative 

Group). On June 18, 2008, the President 

signed into law the Food, Conservation, 

and Energy Act of 2008 (the Act), also 

known as the 2008 Farm Bill. The Act 

provides for the creation of the 

Consultative Group. 

DATES: Applications must be received 

prior to 5 p.m. on March 9, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit 

applications by any of the following 

methods: 

—USDA: Applications should be sent 

by mail to the Office of Negotiations 

and Agreements, Foreign Agricultural 

Service, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Stop 1040, 1400 

Independence Ave., SW., Washington, 

DC 20250; by hand (including DHL, 

FedEx, UPS, etc.) to the Office of 

Negotiations and Agreements, Foreign 

Agricultural Service, U.S. Department 

of Agriculture, Room 4133–S, 1400 

Independence Ave., SW., Washington, 

DC 20250; by e-mail to: 

kathryn.ting@fas.usda.gov; or by fax 

to (202) 720–0340. 

—U.S. Department of Labor (DOL): 

Applications should be sent by mail 

or by hand (including DHL, FedEx, 

UPS, etc.) to the Bureau of 

International Labor Affairs, U.S. 

Department of Labor, 200 Constitution 

Ave., NW., Room S–5317, 

Washington, DC 20210; by e-mail to: 

rigby.rachel@dol.gov or 

castro.charita@dol.gov; or by fax to 

(202) 693–4830. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The 

Office of Negotiations and Agreements 

by fax on (202) 720–0340; by email 

addressed to kathryn.ting@fas.usda.gov; 

or by mail addressed to the Office of 

Negotiations and Agreements, Foreign 

Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Stop 1040, 1400 

Independence Ave., SW., Washington, 

DC 20250. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Consultative Group to Eliminate the Use 

of Child Labor and Forced Labor in 

Imported Agricultural Products was 

established by section 3205 of the Food, 

Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 

(Pub. L. 110–246). Interested parties are 

invited to submit applications for 

membership in the Consultative Group 

to the USDA or DOL as specified in the 

Submission of Applications paragraph 

below. 

Duties 

The Consultative Group will develop 

recommendations relating to a standard 

set of practices for independent, thirdparty monitoring and verification for the 

production, processing, and distribution 

of agricultural products or commodities 

to reduce the likelihood that agricultural 

products or commodities imported into 

the United States are produced with the 

use of forced labor or child labor. 

Recommendations developed by the 

Consultative Group will be submitted to 

the Secretary of Agriculture by June 18, 

2010. Thereafter, the Consultative 

Group will continue to advise the 

Secretary as necessary. 

Membership 

The Consultative Group will be 

composed of a total of 13 members, 

including two officials from USDA, one 

of whom will serve as the chairperson; 

the Deputy Under Secretary for 

International Affairs, DOL; and one 

representative from the Department of 

State. As required under section 3205(d) 

of the Act, the Consultative Group will 

also include: 

• Three members to represent private 

agriculture-related enterprises, which 

may include retailers, food processors, 

importers, and producers, of whom at 

least one member shall be an importer, 

food processor, or retailer who utilizes 

independent, third-party supply chain 

monitoring for forced labor or child 

labor; 

• Two members to represent 

institutions of higher education and 

research institutions, as determined 

appropriate by the Bureau of 

International Labor Affairs, DOL; 

• One member to represent an 

organization that provides independent, 

third-party certification services for 

labor standards for producers or 

importers of agricultural commodities or 

products; and 

• Three members to represent 

organizations described in section 

501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 

of 1986 that have expertise on the issues 

of international child labor and do not 

possess a conflict of interest associated 

with establishment of the guidelines 

issued under section 3205(c)(2) of the 

Act, as determined by the Bureau of 

mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES