USDA Submission for OMB Review: Phytosanitary Treatment Regulations

Regs.gov: Department of Agriculture

Published March 17th, 2026

Detected March 19th, 2026

Summary

The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is seeking OMB review and public comment on information collection requirements for standardizing phytosanitary treatment regulations. This includes approval processes for cold treatment and irradiation facilities, cold treatment schedules, and compliance agreements. Comments are requested by April 17, 2026.

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What changed

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has submitted information collection requirements related to its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) phytosanitary treatment regulations to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act. This submission pertains to the standardization of regulations for approving cold treatment and irradiation facilities, establishing cold treatment schedules, and creating compliance agreements for fumigation and cold treatment. The specific OMB Control Number is 0579-0450, and the agency estimates 46 respondents will incur a total burden of 57 hours annually.

Regulated entities, including businesses, state, local, tribal, and federal governments, are invited to submit comments on the necessity, utility, accuracy, and clarity of the proposed information collection. Comments must be received by April 17, 2026, and can be submitted via www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. The agency is seeking to ensure that the collection of information is necessary for its mission of preventing the introduction and spread of plant pests into the United States and that the burden on respondents is minimized. Failure to display a currently valid OMB control number means respondents are not required to respond to the collection.

What to do next

Review the proposed information collection requirements for phytosanitary treatment regulations.
Submit comments regarding the collection to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain by April 17, 2026.

Source document (simplified)

Content

The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments are requested regarding; 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; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden
of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments regarding this information collection received by April 17, 2026 will be considered. Written comments and recommendations
for the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of this notice on the following
website www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using
the search function. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to the collection
of information that such persons are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Title: Standardizing Phytosanitary Treatment Regulations: Approval of Cold Treatment and Irradiation Facilities; Cold Treatment Schedules;
Establishment of Fumigation and Cold Treatment Compliance Agree.

OMB Control Number: 0579-0450.

Summary of Collection: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 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 into the United States, and eradicating
those imported pests when eradication is feasible. The Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701— et seq.) authorizes the Department to carry out this mission. Under the Plant Protection Act, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) is authorized, among other things, to regulate the importation of plants, plant products, and other articles
to prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United States. The phytosanitary treatment regulations established generic
criteria that allows for the approval of new cold treatment and irradiation facilities; cold treatment schedules; and the
establishment of fumigation and cold treatment compliance agreements.

Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information using PPQ form 519, Compliance Agreements, PPQ form 530, Limited Permit and other collection
activities to provide generic criteria for new cold treatment and irradiation facilities, cold treatment schedules, and the
establishment of fumigation and cold treatment compliance agreements.

Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit, State, Local, and Tribal Government; Federal Government (Foreign).

Number of Respondents: 46.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting; Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 57.

Rachelle Ragland-Greene, Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 2026-05235 Filed 3-17-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-34-P