October 2014
Supporting Statement
Importation of Fresh Unshu Oranges
from Japan into the United States
OMB No. 0579-0418
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 pests and noxious weeds from entering into the United States, preventing the spread of plant diseases not widely distributed in the United States, and eradicating those imported pests and noxious 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 the United States or not known to be widely distributed throughout the United States.
The regulations in “Subpart – Fruits and Vegetables” Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 319.28 (Citrus Fruit), 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 with the United States.
APHIS amended the regulations concerning the importation of citrus fruit to remove certain restrictions on the importation of Unshu oranges from Japan that are no longer necessary. Specifically, APHIS removed requirements for the fruit to be grown in specified canker-free export areas with buffer zones and for joint inspection in the groves and packinghouses by the Government of the Republic of Japan and APHIS. APHIS clarified that surface sterilization of the fruit must be conducted in accordance with 7 CFR, Part 305. Finally, it is required that each shipment be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate containing an additional declaration stating that the fruit is given the required surface sterilization. These changes make the regulations concerning the importation of Unshu oranges from Japan consistent with the domestic regulations concerning the interstate movement of citrus fruit from areas quarantined because of citrus canker.
APHIS is asking OMB to approve, for 3 years, its use of these collection activities associated with this program to relieve restrictions on the importation of Unshu oranges from Japan.
2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.
Packinghouse Registrations - The packinghouse in which the surface sterilization treatment is applied and the fruit is packed must be registered with the Japanese Government's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.
Phytosanitary Certificate with A/D - Unshu oranges imported from Japan must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Japanese Government's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries with an additional declaration that the Unshu oranges are packed and produced in accordance with 7 CFR 319.28.
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 on when other countries 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 its mission of preventing the entry of injurious plant pests, diseases, and noxious weeds 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 associated with this program is the minimum needed to
protect the United States from the incursion of citrus canker, fruit flies, and other plant diseases and pests from Japan. APHIS has determined 100 percent the respondents are 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 Unshu oranges from Japan are not carrying citrus canker. If citrus canker is introduced into citrus-producing areas of the United States, growers in these areas 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.
In 2014, APHIS held productive consultations with the following individuals concerning the information collection activities associated with this program to import Unshu oranges from Japan:
Mr. Adekio Hagimato, Trade Representative, Fruit Tree Department
Shizuoka Prefectural Economic Federation of Agriculture Cooperative
3-8-1 Magari-kane, Suruga ward
Shizuoka city, JAPAN 422-8620
TEL: (81) 54-284-9926 ([email protected])
Mr. Hiromasi Tayashi, Foreign Trade Section
Business Department, Japan Fruit Growers Cooperative Association (Exporter)
3-2-1 Tokai, Ohta-ku
Tokyo, JAPAN 143-0001
TEL: (81) 3-5492-5821 ([email protected])
Iku Ajekiota, Fruit Tree Forest Section
Agricultural Cooperative of Oigawa
1-1 Midorino-oka, Fujieda-shi
Shizuoka, JAPAN 426-8661
TEL: (81) 54-638-0322 ([email protected])
APHIS’ proposed rule (13-059-1) was published in the Federal Register on April 10, 2014. During the 60-day comment period, seven comments were received from the public. The comments addressed: efficacy of treatment, removal of joint inspections, removal of buffer zones, foreign restrictions, removal of joint inspection and the issuance of a phytosanitary certificate, and economic impacts on small businesses. For reasons given in the proposed rule as well as the final rule, APHIS is adopting the proposed rule as the final rule, without change.
9. Explain any decisions to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.
This information collection activity involves no payments (other than appropriate, program-related 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 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 $ 224.00. APHIS arrived at this figure by multiplying the hours of estimated response time (8 hours) by the estimated average hourly wage of the respondents ($28.00). 8 hours x $28 = $224
The hourly wage was provided by USDA’s Federal health officials in Japan, the Japanese Government’s Ministry of Agriculture, and APHIS’ International Services and Plant Protection and Quarantine 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 shown 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 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 expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.
The estimated cost to the Federal Government is $341.00. (See APHIS Form 79.)
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 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 associated with this 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 under this 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 | 2021-01-26 |