Notice2024-19469
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza; Testing, Surveillance, and Reporting of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Livestock; Dairy Herd Certification
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Published
August 29, 2024
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with testing, surveillance, and reporting of the incidence of highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy cattle, and certification of dairy cattle herds as a result of testing.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 168 (Thursday, August 29, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 168 (Thursday, August 29, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70162-70163]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19469]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2024-0043]
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information
Collection; Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza; Testing, Surveillance,
and Reporting of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Livestock; Dairy
Herd Certification
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Extension of approval of an information collection; comment
request.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's
intention to request an extension of approval of an information
collection associated with testing, surveillance, and reporting of the
incidence of highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy cattle, and
certification of dairy cattle herds as a result of testing.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
October 28, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>.
Enter APHIS-2024-0043 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab,
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
<bullet> Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2024-0043, 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 <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> or in our reading room, which is located
in Room 1620 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 (202) 799-7039 before coming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on APHIS' Veterinary
Services efforts to control and eradicate HPAI in dairy cattle, contact
Dr. Megan Schmid, Assistant Director, Cattle Health Center, VS, APHIS,
2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. B, Fort Collins, CO 80524; (512) 745-9862;
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e28f8785838ccc88cc91818a8f8b86a297918683cc858d94"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2f424a484e410145015c4c4742464b6f5a5c4b4e01484059">[email protected]</span></a>. For more detailed information on the
information collection process, contact Mr. Joseph Moxey, APHIS'
Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator; (301) 851-2533; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#513b3e223421397f3c3e29342811242235307f363e27"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a1cbced2c4d1c98fccced9c4d8e1d4d2c5c08fc6ced7">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza; Testing, Surveillance,
and Reporting of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Livestock; Dairy
Herd Certification.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0494.
Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: The Animal Health Protection Act (AHPA) of 2002 \1\ is
the primary Federal law governing the protection of animal health. The
law gives the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
broad authority to detect, control, or eradicate pests or diseases of
livestock
[[Page 70163]]
or poultry. The Secretary may also prohibit or restrict the importation
or export of any animal or related material if required to prevent the
spread of any livestock or poultry pest or disease. Within the USDA,
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services' (APHIS'), Veterinary
Service (VS) is tasked with these missions.
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\1\ The AHPA is contained in title X, subtitle E, sections
10401-18 of Public Law 107-171, May 13, 2002, the Farm Security and
Rural Investment Act of 2002; 7 U.S.C. 8301, et seq.
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Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a contagious viral
disease of domestic poultry and wild birds. HPAI is deadly to domestic
poultry and can wipe out entire flocks within a matter of days. HPAI is
a threat to the poultry industry, animal health, human health, trade,
and the economy worldwide. In the United States, HPAI H5N1 has been
detected in dairy cattle. As of August 23, 2024, USDA has confirmed 192
HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus detections in cattle in 13 States
(Colorado, Kansas, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North
Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming). APHIS has
also confirmed, based on specific phylogenetic evidence and
epidemiological information, that 48 poultry premises have also been
infected with the same HPAI H5N1 virus genotype detected in dairy
cattle.
The USDA has already recognized HPAI as a threat, and APHIS already
prohibits the interstate movement of animals infected with HPAI. (See 9
CFR 71.3(b).) However, this new, distinct HPAI H5N1 virus genotype
poses a new animal disease risk as it can infect both cattle and
poultry. The phylogenetic and epidemiological data indicate spread
between dairy premises, and concerningly, given the far more severe
effects of the disease in poultry, from dairy premises to poultry
premises. The virus is shed in milk at high concentrations. Anything
that encounters unpasteurized milk, such as spilled milk, or milk
residue, has the potential to spread the virus to humans or other
animals, and can contaminate vehicles and other objects or materials.
Spread has occurred via not only directly spilled milk but also from
contaminated objects. These factors indicate this outbreak is having an
immediate and sizeable economic impact that could linger.
On April 24, 2024, APHIS announced a Federal Order \2\ to assist
with developing a baseline of critical information and limiting the
spread of H5N1 in dairy cattle. The Federal Order requires testing
lactating dairy cattle prior to interstate movement and mandatory
reporting from laboratories of positive Influenza A cases in livestock.
The Federal Order also requires infected dairy cattle premises to not
move lactating dairy cattle interstate for 30 days and to provide
epidemiological information, including animal movement tracing, via a
questionnaire. Movement of tested, cleared cattle will require a
Certificate of Veterinary Inspection and a movement permit. This
Federal Order went into effect on April 29, 2024. APHIS is working with
State and industry partners to encourage farmers and veterinarians to
report cattle illnesses quickly and implement biosecurity measures and
response plans (set forth in biosecurity plans, herd monitoring plans,
and response and containment plans) so that APHIS can monitor new cases
and minimize the impact to farmers, consumers, and other animals.
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\2\ <a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/dairy-federal-order.pdf">https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/dairy-federal-order.pdf</a>.
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Along with the Federal Order, APHIS announced that it is
reimbursing the National Animal Health Laboratory Network for all pre-
movement and other testing (asymptomatic herd testing and testing of
suspect animals), as well as providing confirmatory testing at the
National Veterinary Services Laboratories. APHIS is also working to
strengthen ongoing herd surveillance through the HPAI Dairy Herd Status
Program, which will use bulk milk testing.
We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve
our use of this information collection activity 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 proposed collection of information is
necessary for the control and/or eradication of HPAI in dairy cattle,
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, use, 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, or other collection techniques or other
technologies.
Estimate of burden: The public burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 3.79 hours per response.
Respondents: Dairy cattle producers; State, local, and Tribal
governments; laboratory staff; accredited veterinarians; and other
individuals, as appropriate.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 6,052.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 23.
Estimated annual number of responses: 136,504.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 518,066 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 26th day of August 2024.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-19469 Filed 8-28-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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