[Federal Register: June 21, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 118)]
[Notices]
[Page 35617-35618]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21jn05-47]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 05-029-1]
Public Meeting; Proposed Design and Development of a
Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking System
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Plant Protection and
Quarantine program of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
will hold a meeting to exchange information and receive input on the
proposed Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking System, which
will improve the efficiency of the Federal phytosanitary certificate
issuance process.
DATES: The public meeting will be held on July 14, 2005, from 9 a.m. to
noon.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the USDA Center at
Riverside, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jo Ann Morris, Computer
Specialist, Program Data Management and Analysis, PPQ, APHIS, 4700
River Road
[[Page 35618]]
Unit 144, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-5255.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service's (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine program (PPQ)
provides certification of plants and plant products as a service to
exporters. After assessing the phytosanitary condition of the plants or
plant products intended for export, relative to the receiving country's
regulations, an inspector issues an internationally recognized
phytosanitary certificate (PPQ Form 577), a phytosanitary certificate
for reexport (PPQ Form 579), an export certificate for processed plant
products (PPQ Form 578), or a certificate of heat treatment (PPQ Form
553) if warranted. The regulations concerning export certification for
plants and plant products are contained in 7 CFR part 353. Currently,
more than 1,000 phytosanitary certificates are being tracked and issued
manually per year.
Since 2002, PPQ has been working with Electronic Data Systems to
develop a national Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking
System (PCIT), which would improve the tracking and traceback of
Federal phytosanitary certificates, improve reporting capabilities, and
reduce the incidence of errors and fraud. The PCIT is an interactive,
Web-based system that will allow U.S. exporters to apply for
phytosanitary certificates, schedule commodity inspections, and make
payments on-line. PCIT will also allow APHIS to better manage
Authorized Certification Officers' workload and enhance security and
accountability of phytosanitary certificates.
In order to demonstrate the capabilities of the system and to
provide information to interested industries about PCIT releases 2.0,
2.5 (the payment engine), and 3.0, PPQ will be holding a public meeting
on July 14, 2005, in Riverdale, MD.
Registration
Due to space considerations, attendance at the public meeting will
be limited to 100 people. We encourage preregistration. You may
register by visiting http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/pim/exports/pcit/ or
by contacting Ms. Linda Toran by July 8, 2005, at (301) 734-5307 or by
fax at (301) 734-8693. Onsite registration for any remaining spaces
will be held on the day of the meeting from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Parking and Security Procedures
Please note that a fee of $2.25 is required to enter the parking
lot at the USDA Center at Riverside. The machine accepts $1 bills or
quarters.
Picture identification is required to be admitted into the
building. Upon entering the building, visitors should inform security
personnel that they are attending the PCIT meeting.
Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of June, 2005.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E5-3205 Filed 6-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P