E-ICR SARS CoV-2 SS Part B

October 2020

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

PART B

SARS-CoV-2 TESTING IN ANIMALS REPORTING ACTIVITIES

OMB NO. 0579-XXXX

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sampling or other respondent selection method to be used. Data on the number of entities (e.g., establishments, state and local government units, households, or persons) in the universe covered by the collection and in the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form for the universe as a whole and for each of the strata in the proposed sample. Indicate expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection had been conducted previously, include the actual response rate achieved during the last collection.

The potential respondent universe of the NAHRS is the State veterinarian¹ in each of the 50 States, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. There will be no sampling; this is a census. Based on past participation, 48 States regularly participate, and of those that do participate, 100 percent of the 48 respond every month. APHIS expects 48 States to respond each month, but plans for all respondents in the respondent universe to respond in some capacity. The potential respondent population of the SARS CoV-2 testing in animals reporting form for US laboratories will be voluntary by laboratories performing SARS-CoV-2 testing of animals. The laboratories could be private commercial, public or private acadamia, or state and local government. As SARS-CoV-2 is emerging and much is unknown, it is also unknown at this time how many laboratories have testing capabilities and are actually testing. It is estimated that no more than 50 nationwide will meet the universe covered by the collection.

2. Describe the procedures for the collection of information including:

- Statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection

There will be no stratification. This data collection is a census.

- Estimation procedure

The reports are compiled to determine national presence or absence of disease. If any State reports a disease, it is present for the U.S. Cumulative reports are also compiled at the State and national level.

- Degree of accuracy needed;

Since this is a census, there is no sampling error. Accuracy will be affected by non-response and non-sampling errors only.

- Unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures, and

There are no unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures

- Any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce

burden

Past efforts to collect data on animal health, productivity, and profitability have revealed that recall bias is very important. The original data collection cycle was set to be quarterly, however States decided monthly collection cycles would ease burden and allow for more accurate reports. Therefore, monthly data collection cycles are most desirable.

2. Describe methods to maximize response rates and to deal with issues of non-response. The accuracy and reliability of information collected must be shown to be adequate for intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be provided for any collection that will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe studied.

Maximizing Response Rates:

• Collection of data will be minimized to that which is absolutely necessary.

0. Respondents are offered the option of acquiring and submitting forms electronically via the NAHRS submission portal.

0. States are reminded monthly of NAHRS reports if there is no response received by the 30^th of the month (27^th in February).

0. There are several benefits to participating States which include:

▪ Improved and expanded animal disease reporting infrastructure that supports disease control in the States and in the Nation;

▪ Demonstrated State-Federal disease surveillance and reporting relationship which in the long run helps to protect international trade benefiting agriculture in the States.

Dealing with Non-Response:

• State reporting status is reviewed monthly by the NAHRS coordinator using the NAHRS Online Reporting Application.

• States that have not participated are sent a reminder email from the NAHRS coordinator.

• At the end of the calendar year, each State’s contact person is sent a letter indicating the months that NAHRS reports were missed.

• Private laboratories known to be testing will be sent additional memos requesting information on testing and participation

3. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Testing is encouraged as an effective means of refining collections of information to minimize burden and improve utility. Tests must be approved if they call for answers to identical questions from 10 or more respondents. A proposed test or set of tests may be submitted for approval separately or in combination with the main collection of information.

The NAHRS methods were pre-tested on fewer than 10 respondents. Results of the pretests were used to refine the information collection in order to reduce respondent burden and improve the usefulness of the information.

4. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on statistical aspects of the design and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or other person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.

The statistical aspects of the design were coordinated by Matthew Branan (970-494-7349), Mathmatical Statistician, USDA APHIS VS National Animal Health Monitoring System, Fort Collins, CO.

Contact persons for data collection are Dr. Laura Miles (970-494-7246), VMO- Epidemiologist, USDA APHIS VS CEAH Surveillance Design and Analysis, Fort Collins, CO; and Dr. Christine Loiscono (515-231-2515), VMO-Epidemiologist, USDA APHIS VS NVSL, National Animal Health Laboratory Network, Ames, IA.

Analysis of the data will be accomplished by CEAH veterinarians, epidemiologists, agricultural economists, and statisticians under the direction of Dr. Bruce Wagner (970-494-7256), Director, Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, USDA APHIS VS, Fort Collins, CO.

1 The State veterinarian is responsible for reporting on the presence/absence of disease. Depending on workloads, the State veterinarian may delegate this responsibility to the assistant State veterinarian, lab director, or other individual to complete and return the NAHRS report to the coordinator.

3