July 2014
Revised December 16, 2014 for OMB
Supporting Statement
Importation of Fresh Blueberries from Morocco
Into the Continental United States
Docket No. APHIS-2013-0016
OMB No. 0579-0421
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, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is responsible for preventing plant diseases or insect pests from entering the
United States, preventing the spread of pests and noxious weeds not widely distributed in the United States, and eradicating those imported pests when eradication is feasible. The Plant Protection Act authorizes the Department to carry out its mission.
Under the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to prohibit or restrict the importation, entry, or movement of plants, and plant pests to prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United States or their dissemination within the United States.
The regulations in “Subpart-Fruits and Vegetables” (7 CFR 319.56 through 319.56-58, referred to below 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.
APHIS is amending the regulations concerning the importation of fruits and vegetables to allow the importation of fresh blueberry fruit from Morocco into the continental United States. As a condition of entry, the blueberries will have to be produced with a systems approach employing a combination of mitigation measures for two quarantine pests, Ceratitis capitata and Monolinia fructigena. The blueberries will have to be inspected prior to exportation from Morocco and found free of Monolinia fructigena. The blueberries will have to be imported in commercial consignments only and will be treated with one of two APHIS-approved post-harvest treatments to mitigate the risk of insect pests, including the Ceratitis capitata. The blueberries will also have to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that conditions have been met.
This action will allow the importation of blueberries from Morocco while continuing to protect against the introduction of plant pests into the United States.
APHIS is asking OMB to approve, for 3 years, its use of these information collection activities, associated with its efforts to prevent the spread of fruit flies and other plant pests from entering 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.
Collecting the information listed below will allow the importation of blueberries from Morocco while continuing to protect against the introduction of plant pests into the United States:
Phytosanitary Certificate (foreign) w/additional Declaration – Foreign Federal Government – NPPO
Each consignment of blueberries must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO of Morocco with an additional declaration stating that the conditions of this section have been met, and that the consignment has been inspected prior to export from Morocco and found free of M. fructigena.
Inspections - Foreign Federal Government – NPPO
During the growing season, blueberries must be field inspected for signs of Monolinia fructigena infestation 30 days prior to harvest. If the fungal disease is detected, the NPPO of Morocco must notify APHIS.
Production Site Registration – Businesses
The blueberries must be grown at places of production that are registered with the NPPO of Morocco.
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 considerations of using information technology to reduce burden.
APHIS has no control or influence over when foreign countries will automate their phytosanitary certificates.
4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use of the purpose described in item 2 above.
The information APHIS collects is exclusive to its mission of preventing the spread of plant pests and 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 destructive plant pests while increasing the number and variety of fruits and vegetables that can be imported from other countries. APHIS has determined that this collection will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
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 cripple APHIS’ ability to ensure that blueberries from Morocco are not carrying plant pests. If plant pests were introduced into the United States, growers would suffer hundreds of millions of dollars in losses.
7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the general information collection 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 would require this 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 date 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.
The following individuals were consulted during 2014:
North American Blueberry Council
Thomas J. Payne and Associates
80 Iron Point Circle, Suite 114
Folsom, CA 95630
(916) 983-2279 or (916) 983-9370
Mark Villeta
U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
Lewis & Neale, Inc. Strategic Food Communications
49
East 21st Street
New York, NY 10010
212-420-8808
US Mango Board, McKinzey Crossland
Fleishman-Hillard, Consumer and Trade Media
(512) 495-7164
P.O. Box 140903
Orlando, FL 32814-0903
407-629-7318
APHIS’ proposed rule (APHIS-2012-0038) was published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, December 31, 2013, with a 60-day comment period. During that time, six comments were received, all from private citizens. The commenters discussed the economic impact on small businesses, the treatments for C. capitata, the inspection for M. fructigento, and some general remarks regarding blueberries. The proposed rule was adopted as the final rule, with minor changes. All comments and minor changes are addressed in the final rule which published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 (APHIS-2013-0016), and became effective August 29, 2014.
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 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 APHIS Form 71 for hour burden estimates.
. Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories.
APHIS estimates the total annualized cost to the respondents to be $275.00. APHIS arrived at this figure by multiplying the total burden hours (11) by the estimated average hourly wage of the above respondents ($25.00).
The estimated average hourly wage rate was developed using historical data through discussions with importers of blueberries from Morocco and APHIS’ International Programs specialists.
13. Provide estimates of the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information (do not include the cost of any hour burden in items 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 the capital and start-up cost, maintenance costs, and purchase of services in connection with this program.
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost the Federal government. Provide a description of the method used to estimate cost and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.
The estimated cost for the Federal Government is $225.00. (See APHIS Form 79.)
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB 83-1.
This is a new program.
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 collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.
There are no USDA forms 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 of the provisions under the Act.
B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods.
Statistical methods are not used in this information collection.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | lgilbert |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-27 |