2013-11030. Notice of Request for Reinstatement of an Information Collection; National Animal Health Monitoring System; Dairy 2014 Study

AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Reinstatement of an information collection; comment request.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request a reinstatement of an information collection to support the National Animal Health Monitoring System's Dairy 2014 Study to support the dairy industry of the United States.

DATES:

We will consider all comments that we receive on or before July 8, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/​#!documentDetail;​D=​APHIS-2013-0010-0001.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2013-0010, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.

Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/​#!docketDetail;​D=​APHIS-2013-0010 or in our reading room, which is located in room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call [phone] before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information on the Dairy 2014 Study, contact Mr. Chris Quatrano, Industry Analyst, Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, VS, APHIS, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building B MS 2E6, Fort Collins, CO 80526; [phone]. For copies of more detailed information on the information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: National Animal Health Monitoring System; Dairy 2014 Study.

OMB Number: 0579-0205.

Type of Request: Reinstatement 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 U.S. Department of Agriculture is authorized, among other things, to protect the health of U.S. livestock and poultry populations by preventing the introduction and interstate spread of serious diseases and pests of livestock and for eradicating such diseases from the United States when feasible. In connection with this mission, APHIS operates the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), which collects nationally representative, statistically valid, and scientifically sound data on the prevalence and economic importance of livestock diseases and associated risk factors.

NAHMS' national studies are a collaborative industry and Government initiative to help determine the most effective means of preventing and controlling diseases of livestock. APHIS is the only agency responsible for collecting national data on livestock health. Participation in any NAHMS study is voluntary, and all data are confidential.

APHIS plans to conduct a Dairy 2014 Study as part of an ongoing series of NAHMS studies on the U.S. dairy population. This will be the fifth dairy study, and the purpose of this study is to collect information, through two on-farm questionnaires and biological sampling, to:

• Describe trends in dairy cattle health and management practices;
• Describe management practices and production measures related to animal welfare;
• Estimate the herd-level prevalence of lameness and identify housing and management factors associated with lameness;
• Evaluate dairy calf health from birth to weaning;
• Describe antibiotic use and residue prevention methods used to ensure milk and meat quality; and
• Estimate the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of foodborne pathogens.

The information collected will be used by APHIS to help define and evaluate current management practices and trends, help policymakers and industry make informed decisions, assist researchers and private enterprise to identify and focus on vital issues related to dairy-cattle health and productivity, and conduct economic analyses of the health and production of the U.S. dairy industry.

We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of these information collection activities for 3 years.

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 appropriate, of automated, electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.006 hours per response.

Respondents: Dairy owners and operators.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 7,440.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.

Estimated annual number of responses: 7,440.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 7,482 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.

Done in Washington, DC, this 3rd day of May 2013.

Kevin Shea,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.