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SUPPORTING STATEMENT

OMB NO. 0579-0195

Import of Used Farm Equipment from Regions with FMD

August 2008

Justification

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.

Title 7, U.S.C. 8301, The Animal Health Protection Act, authorizes the Secretary to prevent, control, and eliminate contagious, infectious, and communicable diseases. Disease prevention is the most effective method of maintaining a healthy animal population, continuing a safe food supply and enhancing APHIS' ability to compete in marketing its animal and animal product worldwide.

In connection with this mission, the Veterinary Services’ (VS) program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) enforces regulations that pertain to the importation of animals and animal products into the United States and the prevention of foreign animal disease incursions into the United States. These regulations are contained in title 9, chapter I, subchapter D, parts 91 through 99 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

As a result of the occurrences of FMD in different parts of the world, APHIS prohibits the importation of all used farm equipment into the United States from regions in which FMD exists, unless the exporter provides certification-signed by veterinary authorities from the exporting country-stating that the equipment has been steam-cleaned free of all soil and other particulate material in the exporting region.

The conditions for importation require APHIS to employ the use of a certification statement in which the exporter states that the cleaning has been done. This statement must accompany the used farm equipment to the United States. APHIS is asking the Office of Management and Budget to renew, for 3 years, the use of this certification statement in connection with APHIS’ efforts to prevent an FMD incursion into the United States.

2. Indicate how, by whom, how frequently, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

Certification Statement

Used farm equipment entering the United States from any region in which FMD exists must be accompanied by a certification statement, completed by the farm equipment exporter and signed by an authorized official of the national animal health service of the region of origin, stating that the farm equipment (after its last use and prior to export) was steam-cleaned free of all visible soil and other particulate material in the exporting region.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

APHIS keeps the burden to the minimum necessary to obtain the information needed to ensure that used farm equipment from FMD regions contains no soil or other particulate matter that could introduce FMD into the United States. Shipments of used farm equipment from FMD countries are accompanied by an original certificate signed by the exporter and the exporting country’s government official certifying that the used farm equipment has been steam-cleaned prior to export. An electronic version of this certificate is not practical.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purpose described in item 2 above.

The information that APHIS collects is not available from any other source. APHIS is the only Federal Agency responsible for preventing foreign animal diseases from entering the United States.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.

The information APHIS must collect to safely import used farm equipment from FMD regions is the absolute minimum needed to help protect the United States against an FMD incursion. This collection does not impact small entities.

6. Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

If the information was collected less frequently or not collected, APHIS would not have adequate ability to determine any risks associated with importing such equipment, and would be forced to discontinue the importation of any used farm equipment from FMD regions, a development that could have a damaging financial impact on exporters and importers of this equipment. The inspection of used farm equipment in fiscal year 2007 detained over 300 shipments that were steam-cleaned before release.

7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the general information collection guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5.

This information collection is conducted in a manner consistent with the guidelines established in 5 CFR 1320.5.

8. Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting form, and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB.

In 2008, APHIS engaged in productive consultations with the following individuals concerning the information collection activities associated with this program:

Skip Lee

Worthington Ag Parts

3693 US 70 West

Goldsboro, NC 27530

(888) 845-8456

Doug Osies

Eldridge Supply Company

1570 East Highway 64

P.O. Box 60

Augusta, AR 72006

(870) 347-2518

Paul Sunderberg

National Pork Board

1776 N.W. 114^th Street

Des Moines, IA 50325

(515) 223-2600

On Monday, March 3, 2008, pages11381-11382, APHIS published in the Federal Register, a 60-day notice seeking public comments on its plans to request a 3-year renewal of this collection of information. APHIS received one comment, but it did not pertain to paperwork burden.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than re-enumeration of contractors or grantees.

This information collection activity involves no payments or gifts to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

No additional assurance of confidentiality is provided with this information collection. However, the confidentiality of information is protected under 5 U.S.C. 552a.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior or attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

This information collection activity will ask no questions of a personal or sensitive nature.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated.

• Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated. If this request for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form and aggregate the hour burdens in Item 13 of OMB Form 83-I.

See APHIS Form 71. Burden estimates were developed from discussions with veterinary authorities and exporters of used farm equipment in FMD regions.

• Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories.

Respondents are exporters of used farm equipment in FMD regions, who complete the certification statement. This statement is then signed by an authorized official of the national health service of the region of origin. APHIS estimates the total annualized cost to these respondents to be $60,000. APHIS arrived at this figure by multiplying the hours of estimated response time (0.20 hours) by the estimated average hourly wage of the above respondents ($30.00). The average hourly wage of respondents was estimated by consulting with industry representatives that import used farm equipment from countries affected with FMD.

13. Provide estimates of the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information, (do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in items 12 and 14). The cost estimates should be split into two components: (a) a total capital and start-up cost component annualized over its expected useful life; and (b) a total operation and maintenance and purchase of services component.

There is zero annual cost burden associated with capital and start-up costs, operation and maintenance expenditures, and purchase of services.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government. Provide a description of the method used to estimate cost and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

The annualized cost to the Federal government is estimated at $87,361.30 (See APHIS Form 79.)

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-1.

This is a renewal of a currently approved collection with no change in burden.

16. For collections of information whose results are planned to be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication.

APHIS has no plans to publish information collected in connection with this program.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

There are no forms associated with this collection.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 "Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act."

APHIS can certify compliance with all provisions under the Act.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

There are no statistical methods associated with the information collection activities used in this program.