# Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Restricted, Prohibited, and Controlled Importation of Animal and Poultry Products and Byproducts Into the United States
**AGENCY:**
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
**ACTION:**
Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection; comment request.
**SUMMARY:**
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with the restricted, prohibited, and controlled importation of animal and poultry products and byproducts into the United States.
**DATES:**
We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 9, 2026.
**ADDRESSES:**
You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
• *Federal eRulemaking Portal:* Go to *www.regulations.gov.* Enter APHIS-2025-0035 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
• *Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:* Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2025-0035, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., #AP760, Beltsville, MD 20705.
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at *regulations.gov* 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 prohibited, restricted, and controlled importation of animal and poultry products and byproducts into the United States, contact the following individuals: For issues concerning meat, milk, eggs, and casings, Dr. Nathaniel Koval, Senior Staff Officer, Animal Product Imports, Strategy and Policy, Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705, (301) 851-3300, *[email protected].* For issues concerning all other byproducts, Dr. David Pasnik, Senior Staff Officer, Animal Product Imports, Strategy and Policy, Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705, (301) 851-3300, *[email protected].*
For more information on the information collection reporting process, contact Ms. Sheniqua Harris, APHIS' Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, at (301) 851-2528; *[email protected].*
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
*Title:* Restricted, Prohibited, and Controlled Importation of Animal and Poultry Products and Byproducts into the United States.
*OMB Control Number:* 0579-0015.
*Type of Request:* Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection.
*Abstract:* The Animal Health Protection Act (AHPA) of 2002 gives the Secretary of Agriculture broad authority to detect, control, or eradicate pests or diseases of livestock or poultry. The Secretary may also prohibit or restrict import or export of any animal or related material if necessary to prevent the spread of any livestock or poultry pest or disease. The AHPA is contained in title X, subtitle E, sections 10401-18 of Public Law 107-171, May 13, 2002, the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.
Disease prevention is the most effective method for maintaining a healthy animal population and for enhancing the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS') ability to compete globally in animal and animal product and byproduct trade. In connection with this mission, APHIS enforces regulations regarding both the importation of controlled materials and the prevention of foreign animal disease incursions into the United States. These regulations are located in 9 CFR parts 94, 95, and 122.
APHIS engages in a number of information collection activities to prevent or control the spread of livestock diseases via the restricted, prohibited, and controlled importation of animal and poultry products and byproducts into the United States, including, but not limited to, certificates, applications, agreements, appeals and cancellations of agreements, placards and statements, permissions to import, notifications, government seals, and marking requirements.
We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of these information collection activities, as described, for an additional 3 years. APHIS has amended this collection in the following ways:
• APHIS has combined all uses of the VS Form 16-3 from this collection into a universal “common forms” permit package. Uses of this form were formerly spread over four different collection packages, including this one. Removing the activities using VS Form 16-3 from this collection removed 5,106 respondents, 9,896 responses, and 11,695 burden hours from this collection.
• APHIS also included the activities under 9 CFR 94.12(c) for pork-filled pasta products, which were previously in their own information collection (0579-0214), to this collection, adding ten respondents, 50 responses, and 50 burden hours to this collection.
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 1.87 hours per response.
*Respondents:* Importers, exporters, processing operators, foreign federal governments, foreign veterinarians, port personnel, museums, educational institutions, transportation operators, and carrier personnel.
*Estimated annual number of respondents:* 25,806.
*Estimated annual number of responses per respondent:* 2.
*Estimated annual number of responses:* 54,459.
*Estimated total annual burden on respondents:* 101,609 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 5th day of January 2026.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.