Request for Emergency Approval

Food Safety and
Inspection Service

6/5/2024

TO:

Dominic Mancini
Deputy Director
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
Office of Management and Budget

THROUGH:

Levi S. Harrell
Departmental Clearance Officer
Information Management Division
Office of the Chief Information Officer

FROM:

Dr. Jose Emilio Esteban
Under Secretary for Food Safety

1400 Independence
Avenue, SW.
Washington, D.C.
20250

Paul Kiecker
Administrator
Food Safety and Inspection Service
SUBJECT: Request for Emergency Approval of a New Information Collection for
Voluntary Bison or Buffalo Inspection at Establishments Owned by Native Americans
or Operating on Tribal Lands
DISCUSSION: Pursuant to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) procedures
established at 5 CFR Part 1320, Controlling Paperwork Burdens on the Public, the Food
Safety and Inspection Service, (FSIS) requests that the proposed information collection
project, Voluntary Bison or Buffalo Inspection at Establishments Owned by Native
Americans or Operating on Tribal Lands, be processed in accordance with section
1320.13, Emergency Processing.
SEC. 765 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, (Public Law No: 118-42)
states that: “Notwithstanding the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1622 et
seq.) and 9 CFR part 352, the Committee provides an additional $700,000 to the USDA
Food Safety and Inspection Service to cover voluntary meat inspection fees for the
slaughtering or processing of bison/buffalo at Native American owned establishments or
establishments operating on tribal lands.”
FSIS needs to collect information from establishments to determine eligibility for the
additional appropriated funding. FSIS has determined that this information must be
collected prior to the expiration of time periods established under Part 1320 and that this
information is essential to distribute the funding Congress provided to cover voluntary
inspection fees for the slaughtering or processing of bison or buffalo at establishments

An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer

owned by Native Americans or operating on tribal lands during fiscal year 2024. FSIS
requests that OMB approve this new information collection for at least 4 months, so that
FSIS can distribute congressional funding for the current fiscal year.
Please provide an approval/disapproval determination of this request to collect
information under an emergency clearance by close of business June 14, 2024.
Thank you for your time and consideration.

An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer