May 2012
Supporting Statement
Importation of Hass Avocados from Peru
OMB No. 0579-0355
A. Justification
1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is responsible for preventing plant pests and noxious weeds from entering into the United States, preventing the spread of pests and weeds new to or not known to be widely distributed in the United States, and eradicating those imported pests and weeds when eradication is feasible.
Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture, either independently or in cooperation with the States, is authorized to carry out operations or measures to detect, eradicate, suppress, control, prevent, or retard the spread of plant pests new to or widely distributed throughout the United States.
The regulations in “Subpart-Fruits and Vegetables” (7 CFR 319.56-1 through 319.56-50, referred to as the regulations) prohibit or restrict the importation of fruits and vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the world to prevent the introduction and dissemination of plant pests that are new to or not widely distributed within the
United States.
As a condition of entry, Hass avocados from Peru must be produced in accordance with a systems approach that includes requirements for importation in commercial consignments; registration and monitoring of places of production and packinghouses; grove sanitation; pest-free areas or trapping for fruit flies; surveys for the avocado seed moth; and inspection for quarantine pests by the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Peru. Hass avocados from Peru must also be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that the avocados are grown, packed,
and inspected and found to be free of pests in accordance with the regulations in 7 CFR 319.56-50.
This action allows for the importation of Hass avocados from Peru into the United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests.
APHIS is asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve, for 3 additional years, the use of these information collections activities, associated with APHIS’ efforts to ensure that fresh Hass avocados from Peru pose a negligible risk of introducing exotic insect pests into the United States.
2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.
APHIS uses the following information collection activities:
Phytosanitary Certificate with Declaration - Each consignment of Hass avocados imported from Peru into the United States must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO of Peru with an additional declaration stating that the avocados in the consignment were grown, packed, and inspected, and found to be free of pests in accordance with the requirements of 7 CFR 319.56–50. In addition: (1) If the avocados were produced in an area free of A. fraterculus, the phytosanitary certificate must state that the avocados in this consignment were produced in an area designated as free of A. fraterculus in accordance with 7 CFR 319.56–5; (2) If the avocados were produced in an area free of C. capitata, the phytosanitary certificate must state that the avocados in this consignment were produced in an area designated as free of C. capitata in accordance with 7 CFR 319.56–5; and (3) if the avocados have been treated for
C. capitata prior to export, the phytosanitary certificate must state that the avocados in the consignment have been treated for C. capitata in accordance with 7 CFR Part 305.
Trust Fund – The NPPO of Peru must establish a trust fund in accordance with
§ 319.56-6 to cover the cost incurred by APHIS when APHIS personnel must be physically present in an exporting country or region to facilitate exports.
NPPO’s Must Visit and Inspect Registered Packinghouses - The NPPO of Peru must visit and inspect registered places of production monthly, starting at least 2 months before harvest and continuing until the end of the shipping season, to verify that the growers are complying with the requirements of paragraphs (c) and (g) of this section and following pest control guidelines, when necessary, to reduce quarantine pest populations. If trapping is conducted under paragraph (d)(2) of this section, the NPPO of Peru must also verify that the growers are complying with the requirements in those paragraphs and must certify that each place of production has effective fruit fly trapping programs.
Recordkeeping -The NPPO of Peru would have to keep records of fruit fly detections for each trap and update the records each time the traps are checked. NPPO’s of Peru would be require to retain all forms and documents related to export program activities in groves and packinghouses for at least 1 year and, as requested, provide them to APHIS for review. Such forms and documents would include (but would not necessarily be limited to) fruit fly trapping records, avocado seed moth survey records, inspection records, and treatment records.
Workplan - The NPPO of Peru must provide a workplan to APHIS that details the activities that the NPPO of Peru will, subject to APHIS' approval of the workplan, carry out to meet the requirements of this section.
Shipping Documents Labeled with Official Registration Number - Shipping documents accompanying consignments of avocados from Peru that are exported to the United States must include the official registration number of the place of production at which the avocados were grown and must identify the packing shed or sheds in which the fruit was processed and packed. This identification must be maintained until the fruit is released for entry into the United States.
3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.
APHIS has no control or influence over when foreign countries will automate their forms.
4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purpose described in item 2 above.
The information APHIS collects is exclusive to the mission of preventing the introduction of plant pests and plant diseases into the United States. This information is not available from any other source.
5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.
The information APHIS collects is the minimum needed to protect the United States from infestation of the avocado seed moth. There are no small entities involved in this information.
6. Describe the consequences to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.
Failing to collect this information would compromise APHIS’ ability to ensure that fresh Hass avocados from Peru are not harboring destructive insect pests that could cause millions of dollars in damage to U.S. agriculture.
7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the general information guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5.
requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly;
requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it;
requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document;
requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years;
in connection with a statistical survey, that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study;
requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;
that includes a pledge of confidentiality that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use; or
requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secret, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information's confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.
No special circumstances exist that require APHIS’ collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the general information collection guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5.
8. Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting form, and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the data and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency’s notice, soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB.
Productive consultations occurred in 2011-2012 with the following individuals:
Arturo Medina, President
Pro Hass Association Productores De Palta Hass Del Peru
Nicolas Arriola 314, of 1101
La Victoria, Lima Peru
Tel: 511-225-1626
Jorge Barrenechea, Director General
Servico Nacional de Sanidad Agraria – SENASA
Av. La Molina 1915
Lima 12, Peru
Tel: 51-1313-3300
Luis Gonzales
Embassy of Peru
1700 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20036
On Friday, December 16, 2011, pages 78229-78230, APHIS published in the Federal Register, a 60-day notice seeking public comments on its plans to request a 3-year renewal of this collection of information. No comments from the public were received.
9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than reenumeration of contractors or grantees.
This information collection activity involves no payments or gifts to respondents.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
No additional assurance of confidentiality is provided with this information collection. Any and all information obtained in this collection shall not be disclosed except in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a.
11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and others that are considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.
This information collection activity asks no questions of a personal or sensitive nature.
12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden and an explanation of how the burden was estimated.
. Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated. If this request for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form and aggregate the hour burdens in Item 13 of OMB Form 83-I.
See the APHIS Form 71 for burden estimates. These estimates were developed using historical data, and discussions with APHIS International Services employees.
. Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories.
The total cost to respondents is computed by multiplying their average wage by the total number of hours needed to complete the work. $25.62 X 308 hours = $7,890.96.
13. Provide estimates of the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information, (do no include the cost of any hour burden shown in item 12 and 14). The cost estimates should be split into two components: (a) a total capital and start-up cost component annualized over its expected useful life; and (b) a total operation and maintenance and purchase of services component.
There is zero annual cost burden associated with capital and start-up costs, maintenance costs, and purchase of services in connection with this program.
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal Government. Provide a description of the method used to estimate cost and any other expenses that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.
See APHIS Form 79 for the annualized cost to the Federal Government. The annual cost to the Government is $4,796.
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-1.
There is an adjusted increase of 1 burden hour. This change is due to the labeling of shipping documents with the registration number which was not previously included as burden. This was erroneously omitted in the previous information collection.
16. For collections of information whose results are planned to be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication.
APHIS has no plans to tabulate or publish the information collected.
17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collections, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.
There are no USDA forms involved in this information collection.
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in the “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act.”
APHIS is able to certify compliance with all the provisions in the Act.
B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods.
Statistical methods are not used in this information collection.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | Supporting Statement for Docket No |
| Author | lctoran |
| Last Modified By | Stratchko, Karen A (APHIS) |
| File Modified | 2012-05-16 |
| File Created | 2012-05-16 |