SUPPORTING STATEMENT - OMB NO. 0579-0000
IMPORTATION OF SWINE HIDES, BIRD TROPHIES, & DEER HIDES
A. 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 21, U.S.C. authorizes sections 111, 114, 114a, 114-1, 115, 120, 121, 125, 126, 134a, 134c, 134f, and 134g of 21 U.S.C. These authorities permit the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prevent, control and eliminate domestic diseases such as tuberculosis, as well as to take actions to prevent and to manage exotic diseases such as African swine fever and exotic Newcastle disease.
More specifically, 21 U.S.C. 111, 151158 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to take such measures as he or she may deem proper to prevent the introduction or dissemination of contagious or communicable diseases of animals or live poultry from a foreign country into the United States or from one State to another. Disease prevention is the most effective method for maintaining a healthy animal population and for enhancing the ability of the United States to compete in the world market of animals and animal product trade.
In connection with this disease prevention mission, the Veterinary Services Division of USDA's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) regulates the importation of animals and animal products into the United States to guard against the introduction of animal diseases not currently present or prevalent in this country. The regulations in 9 CFR parts 93, 94, 95, and 96 govern the importation of certain animals, birds, poultry, meat, other animal products and byproducts, hay, and straw into the United States in order to prevent the introduction of various animal diseases, including rinderpest, foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, and exotic Newcastle disease.
We are publishing a proposed rule (Docket No. 02-016-1) to amend the regulations governing the importation of certain animal byproducts by establishing specific conditions under which untanned swine hides from regions with African swine fever, bird trophies from regions with exotic Newcastle disease, and deer and other ruminant hides from Mexico can be imported into the United States. These proposed requirements are designed to prevent an incursion of such diseases into the United States, thereby ensuring maximum protection for the U.S. swine, poultry, and ruminant populations.
Several of these proposed import requirements will necessitate the use of additional certification statements in connection with the importation, from certain regions, of commodities such as bird trophies and untanned hides. We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of these information collection activities for 3 years.
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.
Certificate for Untanned Ruminant Hides from Mexico
In addition to meeting all other applicable APHIS provisions, untanned deer or other ruminant hides from Mexico may enter the United States only if accompanied by a certificate, --issued by a full-time salaried veterinary officer of the Government of Mexico-- stating that the hides were treated with an acaricide to kill ticks that could carry and spread bovine babesiosis.
Written Statement for Untanned Ruminant Hides From Mexico
In addition to meeting all other applicable APHIS provisions, untanned deer or other ruminant hides from Mexico may enter the United States only if accompanied by a written statement from the owner attesting to the fact that the hides were frozen solid for 24 hours.
Certificate for Bird Trophies from END-Free Regions
In addition to meeting all other applicable APHIS provisions, bird trophies from regions that are free of exotic Newcastle disease may enter the United States only if accompanied by a certificate of origin issued by a representative of the national government of the region of export. This certification statement will help to ensure that any bird trophy imported into the United States will have originated in --and been exported from-- a region that is free of exotic Newcastle disease.
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.
The certification statements employed in this program are not VS forms, but are documents manufactured, completed, and signed by veterinary authorities (or the owners of the commodities destined for export) in the exporting country. These certifications must physically accompany the shipment to the United States, and must contain an original signature from the authorizing veterinarian (or the owner of the commodity) to be valid.
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. We are the only Federal Agency responsible for preventing communicable diseases of livestock and poultry 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.
We have attempted to streamline the exportation process for individuals in Mexico by allowing them to write and sign their own statement regarding the tick-killing treatment their commodities have undergone prior to export to the United States.
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.
Failing to collect this information would increase the chances of a foreign animal disease (such as exotic Newcastle disease or bovine babesiosis) being introduced into the United States. Even if such an incursion is detected relatively early, an enormous amount of money and human resources would be needed to contain the outbreak and prevent the disease from successfully establishing itself in the United States. Such an effort would divert money and human resources from other vital disease prevention activities for which the Agency is responsible.
If the incursion is not detected soon enough, the disease would have an opportunity to establish itself within the ruminant or poultry populations of the United States. An adverse event of this magnitude would require millions of dollars and years of effort to resolve.
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.
We have engaged in productive consultations with the following individuals concerning the information collection activities associated with this program:
Dr. Paul Sundberg
National Pork Board
122 C Street NW, Suite 875
Washington, DC 20204
(515) 223-2773
Dr. Alice Johnson, President
National Turkey Federation
1225 New York Ave. NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 898-0100
John Adams
National Milk Producers Federation
2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 400
Arlington, Virginia 22201
703-243-6111
9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than reenumeration 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 Federal animal health authorities who will be completing the certificates necessary to export ruminant hides and bird trophies into the United States.
• Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories.
We estimate the total annualized cost to these respondents to be $1,000.00. We arrived at this figure by multiplying the hours of estimated response time (40 hours) by the estimated average hourly wage of the above respondents ($25.00).
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 $1,456.09. (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 new program.
16. For collections of information whose results are planned to be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication.
We have no plans to publish information we collect 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.
If forms were to be discarded because of an outdated OMB expiration date, but otherwise usable, higher printing costs would be incurred by the Federal Government. Therefore, we are seeking approval to not display the OMB expiration date on our forms.
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 "Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act."
We can certify compliance with all provisions under Item 19.
B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods
There are no statistical methods associated with the information collection activities used in this program.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | SUPPORTING STATEMENT - OMB NO |
| Author | tmcramer |
| Last Modified By | tmcramer |
| File Modified | 2004-08-18 |
| File Created | 2004-08-12 |