[Federal Register: June 27, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 124)]
[Notices]
[Page 43272-43273]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27jn02-33]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 01-039N]
Notice of Request for New Information Collection Regarding
Industry Practices
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, this notice
announces the intention of Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to
request information collection regarding industry practices specific to
meat, poultry, and egg products. Also, in this same issue of the
Federal Register FSIS is publishing a notice of request for new
[[Page 43273]]
information collection regarding consumer practices, concerns, and
awareness, specific to meat, poultry, and egg products.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before August 26,
2002.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Lee Puricelli, Paperwork
Specialist, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 300 12th Street,
SW, Room 109, Washington, DC 20250-3700, (202) 720-0346.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Industry Stakeholder Survey.
Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years.
Type of Request: Regular.
Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the
functions of the Secretary as provided in the Federal Meat Inspection
Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the Poultry Products Inspection Act
(PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.), and the Egg Products Inspection Act
(EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031-1056). These statutes provide that FSIS is to
protect the public by ensuring that meat, poultry, and egg products are
safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged.
Executive Order 12866, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), and
the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA)
direct Federal agencies to conduct regulatory impact analysis, and to
consider flexible regulatory approaches. In order to perform these
mandatory analyses it is often necessary to survey regulated industry
to determine existing practices, and the changes in those practices,
likely under various policy options.
FSIS is seeking OMB clearance to conduct surveys to implement
Executive Order 12866, RFA, and SBREFA. Participation in the surveys
will be voluntary. FSIS will use the information gathered from these
surveys to identify current business practices. FSIS projects 1 survey
per year, with a sample of about 200 to 1,000 respondents for each mail
survey. FSIS will target the questions to the appropriate sample
population to reduce response burden.
Estimate of Burden: The public reporting burden for this collection
of information is estimated to average \1/2\ hour per response.
Respondents: regulated industry, health and science professionals,
consumers.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 3000.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1500 hours.
Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained
from Lee Puricelli. See ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS' functions,
including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of FSIS' estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who are to respond, including
thorough use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques, or other forms of information
technology. Comments may be sent to both Lee Puricelli at the address
provided above, and the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC 20253.
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.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to better ensure
that minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are aware of this
notice, FSIS will announce it and make copies of this Federal Register
publication available through the FSIS Constituent Update. FSIS
provides a weekly Constituent Update, which is communicated via
Listserv, a free e-mail subscription service. In addition, the update
is available on-line through the FSIS web page located at http://
www.fsis.usda.gov. The update is used to provide information regarding
FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS
public meetings, recalls, and any other types of information that could
effect or would be of interest to our constituents/stakeholders. The
constituent Listserv consists of industry, trade, and farm groups,
consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, scientific
professionals, and other individuals that have requested to be
included. Through the Listerv and web page, FSIS is able to provide
information to a much broader, more diverse audience.
For more information contact the Congressional and Public Affairs
Office, at (202) 720-9113. To be added to the free e-mail subscription
service (Listserv) go to the ``Constituent Update'' page on the FSIS
web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/update/update.htm. Click on the
``Subscribe to the Constituent Update Listserv'' link, then fill out
and submit the form.
Done at Washington DC, on May 31, 2002.
William J. Hudnall,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 02-16194 Filed 6-26-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P