Cervid 2014 Part A Justification 11 22 2013

SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR INFORMATION COLLECTION

Part A

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA)

ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE (APHIS)

VETERINARY SERVICES (VS)

CENTERS FOR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND ANIMAL HEALTH (CEAH),

NATIONAL ANIMAL HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM (NAHMS)

NAHMS Cervid 2014 Study

SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR INFORMATION COLLECTION BY THE CENTERS FOR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND ANIMAL HEALTH (CEAH),

NATIONAL ANIMAL HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM (NAHMS)¹

OMB NUMBER 0579-XXXX

CERVID 2014 STUDY

November 2013

1. JUSTIFICATION

This submission is a request for approval to initiate the National Animal Health Monitoring System’s (NAHMS) Cervid 2014 study, an information collection by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

This study is designed to collect information on operations that have farmed or captive cervids, as reported to the US Census of Agriculture. Producers have a chance of selection in every State in the United States. The study questionnaire will be administered via mail with a telephone follow up interview for those who do not respond. The collection will support the following objectives:

1. Provide a baseline description of the U.S. farmed-cervid industry, including inventory, species, operation size, and operation type;

2. Describe current U.S. farmed-cervid production practices and challenges, including animal identification, fencing, animal care and handling, trade and movement, and disease testing;

3. Describe the producer-reported occurrence of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) and the management and biosecurity practices important for controlling EHD on cervid farms; and

4. Describe health management and biosecurity practices important for the control of infectious diseases on cervid farms.

The information collected through the Cervid 2014 study will be analyzed and organized into descriptive reports. Several information sheets will be derived from this report and will be disseminated by APHIS to the producers, stakeholders, academia, veterinarians, and any other interested parties. The potential benefit to the industry from the Cervid 2014 study is a scientifically valid national estimate of management practices of the nation’s cervid industry, and an understanding of production practices and health related issues faced by cervid producers. Participation in this survey is voluntary; it is up to the individual producer to decide whether or not it is desirable to participate.

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.

Collection and dissemination of animal health data and information is mandated by 7 U.S.C. § 391, the Animal Industry Act of 1884, 3 which established the precursor of APHIS, Veterinary Services, and the Bureau of Animal Industry. Legal requirements for examining and reporting on animal disease control methods were further mandated by 7 U.S.C. § 8308 of the Animal Health Protection Act, “Detection, Control, and Eradication of Diseases and Pests,” May 13, 2002.

Collection, analysis, and dissemination of livestock and poultry health information on a national basis are consistent with the APHIS mission of protecting and improving American agriculture’s productivity and competitiveness. In connection with this mission, the NAHMS program includes periodic national commodity studies to investigate current issues and examine general health and management practices used on farms. These studies are driven by industry and stakeholder interest. The information collected is not available from any other source.

NAHMS will initiate the first national data collection for cervids through the Cervid 2014 study. NAHMS staff has completed a needs assessment which was a collaborative effort with producers, industry, extension specialists, Federal and State personnel, and university researchers. Information gathered through this needs assessment was used to determine the study objectives. Information about management and marketing practices on U.S. cervid operations is useful to the cervid industry as well as many Federal and State partners.

National Surveys Providing Baseline Information

The Cervid 2014 study will be the first NAHMS study focusing on cervid operations. This study is designed to fulfill a critical gap in our knowledge of the cervid industry. It will attempt to provide a better understanding of what makes cervid operations successful, and what challenges they face.

Historically, NAHMS studies have focused on traditional commodity groups such as cattle, swine, poultry, sheep and goats. This study will explore unique characteristics of cervid farms and will provide the first report on the nation’s cervid industry.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Indicate the actual use the Agency has made of information received from the current collection.

Data collected, analyzed, and interpreted is disseminated to a wide variety of constituents. Producers will use the information to compare their operation’s management practices with other cervid operations regionally and nationally. Producer groups, extension specialists and veterinarians will use information derived from analyses to improve preventive measures and information outreach efforts. Pharmaceutical and biologics companies will use the information to plan and develop research and marketing strategies for their products. State and Federal officials will use the information to gain a more complete picture of cervid operations as a basis for decision making, program planning and to direct funding. Public health officials will use the information to estimate the magnitude of health conditions which might affect public health. Research scientists will use the information to define current and future issues facing cervid operations and direct research funding. Veterinary and agricultural students in universities in the U.S. will use these data for training in health management, animal welfare, nutrition, and environmental impacts.

APHIS will use the data collected to:

• Establish national statistics on management and marketing for producer, veterinary, and industry reference

• Address emerging issues for cervid operations

0. Plan for response to animal disease events by better understanding the needs and management practices of cervid operations

0. Provide input into the design of surveillance systems for specific diseases

Cervid 2014 Study Data Collection Form

NAHMS-321 – Cervid 2014 Questionnaire. This form will be sent out to participants via U.S. Mail. If a response is not received after two weeks the questionnaire is stamped “Second Request” and sent with the original pre-survey letter. If a response is still not received two weeks after the second request is sent (one month after the initial mailing) a NASS data collector will call the producer to administer the questionnaire via Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI). Up to seven calls will be made, if necessary, to administer the questionnaire. If no contact is made after seven attempts the respondent will be coded as inaccessible. The only attempt to convert refusals will be a clear explanation of the importance of their voluntary participation during the phone call. Data from all completed mail questionnaires will be entered in a database by NASS. The CATI responses will be directly incorporated into the same database and no hard copy record will be available. Edit/validation specifications will be prepared by APHIS and incorporated by NASS.

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.

Up to seven telephone calls will be made to all mail nonrespondents and the questionnaire administered via Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI).

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.

Literature searches for existing data relevant to cervid operations have been performed. Available data were reviewed and compiled from all known sources. Sources reviewed include; cooperative state research, private industry and professional publications, diagnostic laboratories, other Federal and State agencies, and universities. Personnel from Federal agencies and academia were consulted in their area of expertise to identify areas of potential duplication. No other entity is collecting this type of data on cervid operations.

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

The study is designed to collect the minimum amount of data required from a minimum number of producers to ensure statistically and scientifically valid data. This is a voluntary program; it is at the discretion of the individual producer to decide whether or not it is desirable for them to participate. APHIS expects 90 percent of the participants surveyed to be small businesses.

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

The type and quality of data collected by the NAHMS through national collections are unique in the U.S. No other entity/source is collecting and analyzing this type of information. Cervid operations are an important area of interest which directly impacts other aspects of the U.S. agricultural industry. Without collecting this type of information, the U.S.’ ability to predict likely disease spread scenarios and detect trends in management, production, and health status on cervid operations would be limited. Furthermore, the ability to respond to international trade issues involving the health status and production practices in the U.S. agriculture would be severely reduced, potentially impacting the global marketability of animals, meat, and byproducts. Additionally, the information will be very useful for emergency preparedness and response.

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

• requiring respondents to report informa­tion to the agency more often than quarterly;

• requiring respondents to prepare a writ­ten response to a collection of infor­ma­tion in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it;

• requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any docu­ment;

• requiring respondents to retain re­cords, other than health, medical, governm­ent contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years;

• in connection with a statisti­cal sur­vey, that is not de­signed to produce valid and reli­able results that can be general­ized to the uni­verse of study;

• requiring the use of a statis­tical data classi­fication that has not been re­vie­wed and approved by OMB;

• that includes a pledge of confiden­tiali­ty that is not supported by au­thority estab­lished in statute or regu­la­tion, that is not sup­ported by dis­closure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unneces­sarily impedes shar­ing of data with other agencies for com­patible confiden­tial use; or

• requiring respondents to submit propri­etary trade secret, or other confidential information unless the agency can demon­strate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information's confidentiality to the extent permit­ted by law.

No special circumstances exist that would require this collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the general information collection guidelines 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.

The following persons were consulted regarding their views on the Cervid 2014 study:

• Shawn Schafer, Executive Director, North American Deer Farmers Association, 104 S. Lakeshore Drive, Lake City MN 55041, (651) 345-6600

• Bill Pittenger, President, Missouri Whitetail Breeders and Hunting Ranch Association, 109 Glaize Holler Road, Brumley, MO 65017, (573) 793-2239

• Clifford Shipley, DVM, Clinical Associate Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1008 West Hazelwood Drive, Urbana, IL 61802, (217) 333-2000

• Murray Woodbury, DVM, MSc, Associate Professor and Research Chair, Specialized Livestock Health and Production, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon SK S7N 5B4, Canada, (306) 966-7170

The Agency’s notice of information collection activity was announced in the Federal Register on Monday, September 23, 2013, pages 58268-58269. One comment was received from Jean Public about her perception of the general maltreatment of animals. It had no relevance to the purpose of the collection.

8. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

There will be no payments or gifts provided to respondents.

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

Only summary estimates based upon the inference population will be reported to protect the privacy and confidentiality of individual producers/farmers. Only the NASS data collector will have knowledge of the participant’s identity. All forms, data, and reports will refer to the respondent by a numeric code, which is assigned by NASS. All completed study forms will be stored securely in a limited access records vault. Names, addresses, and personal information will not be collected and therefore no connection can be made between a completed questionnaire and a respondent’s information. Completed questionnaires received via mail will have the name and address sticker destroyed by NASS prior to sending to APHIS.

NASS has statutory protection that allows them to keep on-farm data (such as producer name and address information) confidential. Several U.S. Codes apply to data collected by NASS:

Title 7, Section 2276 - Confidentiality of Information.

Title 18, Section 1902 - Disclosure of Crop Information and Speculation Thereon. Title 18, Section 1905 - Disclosure of Confidential Information Generally.

8. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature.

There are no questions of a sensitive nature used in this collection activity.

8. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.

A. A total of 990 burden hours are needed to complete this information collection activity. A detailed burden estimate has been included on the enclosed APHIS 71 Form.

2. Respondent costs: Estimated respondent costs for the information collection proposed is calculated based on a data collection estimate of of $10.96 per hour.² The total respondent cost for the Cervid 2014 Study is $10,850.40 (10.96 X 990 hours).

13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information (do not include any hour burden shown in items 12 and 14).

There are no capital/start up costs or ongoing operations and maintenance costs associated with this information collection.

13. Provide an estimate of annualized cost to the federal government.

The estimated cost to the Federal Government to administer the Cervid 2014 Study is $73,719.21. For more specific information, please see the enclosed APHIS 79 form.

13. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in items 13 or 14 of the OMB form 83-I.

This is a new information collection to investigate current issues and examine management practices of cervid operations.

13. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publications.

Information from this survey will be summarized immediately following the collection, editing, and cleaning of the data. Data will be entered into a database management system utilizing microcomputers or workstations, and statistical calculations will be performed, e.g., descriptive statistics including frequency distribution, prevalence, and point estimates. Variance measures and confidence intervals for the point estimates will be calculated in order to describe the precision of the descriptive statistics generated. SUDAAN software from RTI will be used to correctly calculate the standard error to account for the complex study design. Standard errors will be published along with the point estimates.

Considerable effort has been placed on reducing the time between the end of data collection and release of a final publication. Hardcopy information from the study will be made available to producers, universities, researchers, practitioners, animal health related industries, Federal agencies, legislators, and any other interested party. Copies of current and past information from NAHMS are available at http://nahms.aphis.usda.gov.

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

APHIS will display the expiration date for OMB approval on the form used in this collection.

13. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified under “certification for paperwork reduction act submission,” of the Act.

APHIS is able to certify compliance with all provisions under the Act.

1 The National Animal Health Monitoring System is responsible for collecting national data on animal health and productivity from voluntary participants.

2NASS Farm Labor, published report, released May17, 2012.http://www.usda.gov/nass/PUBS/TODAYRPT/fmla0512.pdf.

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