SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Importation of Live Swine (from Certain Regions), Pork, and Pork Products.

OMB Control Number: 0579-0230.

Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection.

Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture is authorized, among other things, to prohibit or restrict the importation and interstate movement of animals and animal products to prevent the introduction into and dissemination within the United States of livestock diseases and pests. To carry out this mission, APHIS regulates the importation of animals and animal products into the United States. The regulations for the importation of animals and animal products are contained in 9 CFR parts 92 through 98.

Part 94 allows the importation, under certain conditions, of live swine, pork, and pork products from regions that are free of classical swine fever (CSF) to prevent the introduction of CSF into the United States. Three regions, in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico, are subject to additional restrictions in accordance with §  94.32. APHIS recognizes these regions as free of CSF but restricts importation of live swine, pork, and pork products from these regions because they either supplement their pork supplies by importing fresh (chilled or frozen) pork from CSF-affected regions, supplement their pork supplies with pork from CSF-affected regions that is not processed in accordance with the requirements in part 94, share a common land border with CSF-affected regions, or import live swine from such regions under conditions less restrictive than would be acceptable for importation into the United States.

To ensure that the importation of live swine, pork, and pork products, particularly from Brazil, Chile, and Mexico, do not introduce CSF into the United States, the regulations include information collection activities such as certification for importation of pork or pork products; application of seal; location and reason for breaking seal and application of new seal; termination of agreement; request for approval of defrost facility; request hearing for denial or approval of defrost facility; application for import of small amounts of pork or pork products; cooperative service agreement; notification of Customs and Border Protection inspectors for pork from specific regions; recordkeeping requirements for certificates; certificates for meat processed in tubes; certification for importation of hams; agreement for processing procedures; identification procedures; recordkeeping for processing origin of hams; and program statements.

We are asking OMB to approve our use of these information collection activities, as described, for an additional 3 years. APHIS has amended this information collection by decreasing the number of Respondents, Responses, and Total Burden Hours being reported.

The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public (as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. These comments will help us:

(1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through use, as ( printed page 43078) appropriate, of automated, electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Estimate of burden: The public burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.0 hour per response.

Respondents: Full-time, salaried veterinary officers employed by the governments of Chile, Brazil, and Mexico, industry representatives, and U.S. importers.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 772.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 208.

Estimated annual number of responses: 160,388.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 160,391 hours. (Due to averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per response.)

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.