Notice2025-02984

Notice of Request for Reinstatement of an Information Collection; National Animal Health Monitoring System; Equine 2026 Study

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Published
February 24, 2025

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 the reinstatement of an information collection to conduct the National Animal Health Monitoring System's Equine 2026 Study.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 35 (Monday, February 24, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 35 (Monday, February 24, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10471-10472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-02984]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 35 / Monday, February 24, 2025 / 
Notices

[[Page 10471]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2024-0065]


Notice of Request for Reinstatement of an Information Collection; 
National Animal Health Monitoring System; Equine 2026 Study

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Reinstatement 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 the reinstatement of an information collection to 
conduct the National Animal Health Monitoring System's Equine 2026 
Study.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before April 
25, 2025.

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-2024-0065 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-2024-0065, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 2C-10.16, 4700 River Road, Unit 25, 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 the Equine 2026 
Study, contact Ms. Nia Washington-Plaskett, Program Analyst, Center for 
Epidemiology and Animal Health, VS, APHIS, 2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. B, 
Fort Collins, CO 80524; phone: (866) 907-8190; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d4babdb5faa3b5a7bcbdbab3a0bbbaf9a4b8b5a7bfb1a0a094a1a7b0b5fab3bba2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3a54535b144d5b495253545d4e5554174a565b49515f4e4e7a4f495e5b145d554c">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b7c1c499c4c799d4d2d6df99c7d4def7c2c4d3d699d0d8c1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="780e0b560b08561b1d191056081b11380d0b1c19561f170e">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. For more information on 
the information collection reporting process, contact Mr. Joseph Moxey, 
APHIS' Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, at (301) 851-2533; email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7913160a1c0911571416011c00390c0a1d18571e160f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4e24213d2b3e26602321362b370e3b3d2a2f60292138">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: National Animal Health Monitoring System; Equine 2026 Study.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0269.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement of a previously approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et 
seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to protect the health 
of the livestock, poultry, and aquaculture populations in the United 
States 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. This authority has been delegated to 
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
    In connection with this mission, APHIS operates the National Animal 
Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), which collects on a national basis 
statistically valid and scientifically sound data on the prevalence and 
economic importance of livestock, poultry, and aquaculture disease risk 
factors.
    NAHMS' studies have evolved into a collaborative industry and 
government initiative to help determine the most effective means of 
preventing and controlling diseases of livestock. NAHMS is the only 
Federal statistical agency or unit responsible for collecting 
statistically representative and valid data on livestock health. 
Participation in any NAHMS study is voluntary, and all data are 
confidential.
    NAHMS plans to conduct the Equine 2026 Study as part of an ongoing 
series of NAHMS studies on the U.S. livestock population. This study 
will support the following objectives: (1) Describe trends in equine 
care, health management, and disease occurrence over time based on data 
from 1998, 2005, 2015, and 2026; (2) describe biosecurity and health 
management strategies related to the control of important equine 
infectious diseases at equine events \1\ and on farms; (3) describe use 
of equine veterinary services and equine owner perceptions about 
availability of veterinary services for equids; \2\ (4) describe issues 
surrounding equids that are at-risk (an equid that has an increased 
possibility of experiencing neglect, abuse or poor welfare), and/or in 
transition (transitioning from one home, vocation, opportunity, or 
owner to the next); (5) describe owner preparedness for emergencies and 
natural disasters affecting equids; and (6) estimate the prevalence of 
equine respiratory disease pathogens from environmental samples at 
equine events.
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    \1\ Equine events include, but are not limited to, the following 
event types: Western performance events, rodeo, polo match, fair or 
exhibition, race, trail ride (recreational) or endurance, sale, 
auction, breed or discipline inspection, training clinic, draft-
horse pull/shows, horse trials, dressage, 3-day eventing, hunter 
paces, and driving competitions.
    \2\ Equids include horses, ponies, mules, burros, and donkeys.
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    The study will consist of two phases. In phase I, a National 
Agricultural Statistics Service enumerator will contact and conduct 
interviews with owner/operators with 5 or more equids in all 50 States. 
In phase II (APHIS phase), an APHIS-designated data collector (APHIS 
Veterinary Services, Veterinary Medical Officer or authorized official, 
such as Animal Health Technicians, State employees, and/or university 
cooperators) will contact equine event representatives hosting equine 
events in 30 States.\3\ Events studied will represent many breeds, 
disciplines and differing event sizes and types, but will be limited to 
events that are likely to draw participants from at least a large 
portion of a State or from out of State. Events that only draw 
participants from the local areas within the State where they are held 
will be excluded. Phase II will consist of completing an equine event

[[Page 10472]]

informed consent and event questionnaires. In addition, biologic 
sampling at equine events will be available to selected Phase II 
participants.
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    \3\ The States selected for inclusion in Phase II (APHIS phase) 
of the Equine 2026 study are: Arizona, California, Colorado, 
Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, 
Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North 
Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, 
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, 
Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
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    The information collected through the NAHMS Equine 2026 Study will 
be analyzed and organized into descriptive reports. Several information 
sheets will be derived from these reports and disseminated by NAHMS to 
owner/operators, stakeholders, academia, veterinarians, and other 
interested parties. The collected data will be used to: (1) Establish 
national and regional estimates for equine health and management for 
owner/operator, veterinary, and industry references; (2) predict or 
detect national and regional trends in disease emergence and movement; 
(3) address emerging issues; (4) aid in disease preparedness; (5) 
provide estimates of both outcome (disease or other parameters) and 
exposure (risks and components) variables that can be used in analytic 
studies in the future by NAHMS; (6) provide input into the design of 
surveillance systems for specific diseases; and (7) provide parameters 
for animal disease spread models.
    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 burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.4436 hours per response.
    Respondents: Phase I: Equine owner/operators on operations with 5 
or more equids in all 50 States. Phase II: Equine event representatives 
and equine event participants in 30 States.\3\
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 6,545.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 3.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 16,832.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 7,466 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 12th day of February 2025.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-02984 Filed 2-21-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P


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