[Federal Register: December 16, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 241)]
[Notices]
[Page 74759-74760]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16de05-26]
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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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[[Page 74759]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 05-035N]
Notice of Request for a New Information Collection (Application
for Return of Exported Products)
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, this notice
announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service's (FSIS) intention to
request a new information collection regarding the application for the
return of exported meat, poultry, and egg products to the United
States.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before February
14, 2006.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this
information collection request. Comments may be submitted by mail,
including floppy disks or CD-ROM's, and hand- or courier-delivered
items. Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food
Safety and Inspection Service, 300 12th Street, SW., Room 102 Cotton
Annex, Washington, DC 20250. All submissions received must include the
Agency name and docket number 05-035N.
All comments submitted in response to this notice, as well as
research and background information used by FSIS in developing this
document, will be available for public inspection in the FSIS Docket
Room at the address listed above between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The comments also will
be posted on the Agency's Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2005_Notices_Index/index.asp
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction
Act Coordinator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 300 12th
Street, SW., Room 112, Washington, DC 20250-3700, (202) 720-0345.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Application for Return of Exported Products.
Type of Request: New information collection.
Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the
functions of the Secretary as specified in the Federal Meat Inspection
Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601, et seq.), the Poultry Products Inspection
Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.), and the Egg Products Inspection
Act (EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031, et seq.). These statutes mandate that FSIS
protect the public by ensuring that meat, poultry, and egg products are
safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged.
FSIS is requesting a new information collection addressing
paperwork requirements regarding the application for return of exported
meat, poultry, and egg products.
In accordance with 9 CFR 327.17, 381.209, and 590.965, exported
product returned to this country is exempt from FSIS import inspection
requirements upon notification to and approval from the Agency's Office
of International Affairs (OIA). Returned exported product may, however,
require re-inspection at a federally-inspected facility for food safety
and food defense determinations. When FSIS inspection program personnel
determine that product is safe and not adulterated or misbranded, the
product may be released into domestic commerce.
When an FSIS inspected and passed product is exported and then
returned to this country, the owner, broker, or agent of the product
(the applicant) arranges for the product's entry and notifies FSIS. To
formalize this process, FSIS is seeking approval for the new form. The
applicant will fill out the FSIS Form, Application for the Return of
Exported Products to the United States.
The purpose of the form is to allow OIA the opportunity to
determine whether re-inspection of the product is needed and to notify
the appropriate FSIS office where to perform the re-inspection of the
product, if necessary.
FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information
collection assessment.
Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take an average of
17 hours to collect and submit this information to FSIS.
Respondents: Owners, brokers, and agents.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 500.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 100.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 8,333 hours.
Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained
from John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety
and Inspection Service, USDA, 300 12th Street, SW., Room 112,
Washington, DC 20250-3700, (202) 720-5627, (202) 720-0345.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS' functions,
including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of FSIS' estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and, (d) ways to minimize the burden of
the collection of information on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection techniques, or other forms of
information technology. Comments may be sent to both John O'Connell,
Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, at the address provided above, and
the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20253.
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.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that the
public and in particular minorities, women, and persons with
disabilities, are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it on-line
through
[[Page 74760]]
the FSIS Web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2005_Notices_Index/index.asp
.
FSIS also will make copies of this Federal Register publication
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, recalls, and other types of
information that could affect or would be of interest to our
constituents and stakeholders. The update is communicated via Listserv,
a free e-mail subscription service consisting of industry, trade, and
farm groups, consumer interest groups, allied health professionals,
scientific professionals, and other individuals who have requested to
be included. The update also is available on the FSIS Web page. Through
Listserv and the Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a
much broader, more diverse audience.
In addition, FSIS offers an e-mail subscription service which
provides an automatic and customized notification when popular pages
are updated, including Federal Register publications and related
documents. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news_and_events/email_subscription/
and allows FSIS customers to sign up
for subscription options across eight categories. Options range from
recalls to export information to regulations, directives and notices.
Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the
option to password protect their account.
Done at Washington, DC, on: December 13, 2005.
Barbara J. Masters,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E5-7443 Filed 12-15-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P