Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Privacy Threshold Analysis, Privacy Impact Assessments and System of Records Notices
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A Privacy Threshold Analysis (PTA) is a questionnaire used to determine if an information technology system contains Personally Identifiable Information (PII), whether a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) is required, whether a System of Records Notice (SORN) is required, and if any other privacy requirements apply to the system.
A PTA should be completed when proposing a new information technology system that will collect, store, or process identifiable information or when starting to develop or significantly modify such a system, or when a new electronic collection of identifiable information is being proposed.
The purpose of a PTA is to:
What is a Privacy Impact Assessment?
Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) are required by Section 208 of the E-Government Act for all Federal government agencies. A PIA is an analysis of how information is collected, maintained, stored, and disseminated. In addition, its purpose is to ensure compliance with applicable legal, regulatory, and policy requirements for privacy; determine and examine the privacy risks and effects; and evaluate the protections and processes for handling information to mitigate those privacy risks. The PIA uses the Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs) to assess and mitigate any impact on an individual’s privacy.
PIAs must be made publicly available, unless the publication would raise security concerns, reveal classified information (i.e., national security), or reveal sensitive information (e.g., potentially damaging to a national interest, law enforcement effort, or competitive business interest).
A PIA will notify the public on:
A PIA must be conducted before:
Pursuant to OMB Memorandum M-03-22, PIAs must be conducted and updated, annually, to reflect changed information collection authorities, business processes, or other factors affecting the collection and handling of information in identifiable form, in addition to where a system change creates new privacy risks, such as:
Approved APHIS PIAs can be found below:
What is a System of Records Notice?
A System of Records Notice (SORN) is a formal notice to the public published in the Federal Register that provides a description of a particular system of records.
SORNs have the following purposes:
The following SORNs have been published in the Federal Register by APHIS:
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APHIS-1: Investigative and Enforcement Records Regarding Regulatory Activities |
Investigative and Enforcement Services investigates alleged violations of Federal laws and regulations related to the mission of the Agency. The Investigation Tracking and Enforcement Management Systems (ITEMS) is used in the management of the investigations from discovery through final stipulation. |
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APHIS-2: Veterinary Services - Records of Accredited Veterinarians |
Veterinarians are accredited by APHIS to perform certain services to control and prevent the spread of animal diseases within the United States and internationally. The system contains records related to the accreditation status of veterinarians. |
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APHIS-5: National Animal Health Laboratory Network |
The purpose of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) is to coordinate and network USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories with the capacity, facilities, professional expertise, and support of State and university laboratories. The network provides an extensive infrastructure of facilities, equipment, and personnel that are geographically accessible in the event of an animal health emergency. |
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The Animal Care Information Systems (ACIS) is used by the Animal Care organization to maintain a record of activities conducted by regulated entities and the agency pursuant to the Animal Welfare Act, the Horse Protection Act, and the regulations issued therein. |
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The Wildlife Services Management Information System has been implemented as a system of records for documentation and tracking of business conducted by Wildlife Services in its operational program in cooperative relationships with government, business/industry, and private individuals. |
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The APHIS Comprehensive Electronic Permitting System (ePermits) is used to support the permitting processes for the Plant Protection and Quarantine, Veterinary Services, and Biotechnology Regulatory Services programs within APHIS. |
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APHIS-11: Emergency Management Response System |
The Emergency Management Response System (EMRS) is used to maintain records of activities conducted by the agency pursuant to its mission and responsibilities authorized by the Animal Health Protection Act. APHIS’s Veterinary Services program uses the EMRS to help manage and investigate incidents of foreign animal diseases in the United States. |
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APHIS-13: Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking System |
The Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking System (PCIT) facilitates the creation and processing of plant export applications with the intent of generating an export certificate. |
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APHIS’s Animal Health Surveillance and Monitoring System (AHSM) is used to maintain records of activities conducted by the agency pursuant to its mission and responsibilities authorized by the Animal Health Protection Act, Bovine Johne’s Disease Control Program, and the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. APHIS’s Veterinary Services program will use the AHSM to collect, manage, and evaluate animal health data for disease control and surveillance programs. |
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The Animal Disease Traceability Information System (ADTIS) maintains records of activities conducted pursuant to APHIS’ mission and responsibilities authorized by the Animal Health Protection Act. The ADTIS is an information management system that APHIS utilizes to maintain records of official identification devices and other information associated with official identification numbers of animals. |
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APHIS-18: Veterinary Services User Fee System |
The User Fee System (UFS) is used to maintain a record of activities conducted by the agency pursuant to its responsibilities under the Debt Collection Act of 1982, the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990, and the Animal Health Protection Act. |
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APHIS-19: National Veterinary Services Laboratories' Laboratory Information Management System (USDA/APHIS-19) |
NVSL-LIMS is used to collect, track, and store test results on animal diagnostic samples received at NVSL pursuant to its mission and responsibilities authorized by the Animal Health Protection Act. The system will also allow for NVSL to provide quality management and complaint resolution for those test results that may contain errors or do not satisfy the customer. (Note that references to the system may appear as LIMS, Veterinary Services (VS) LIMS, or NVSL-LIMS.) 86 FR 67675 |
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APHIS-20: Agricultural Quarantine Activity System |
The Agricultural Quarantine Activity System (AQAS) records agricultural quarantine activities conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and APHIS employees at the U.S. ports of entry. This system also records agricultural quarantine activities conducted inside the United States that are related to trade. This system collects agricultural risk data and records activities conducted by APHIS within the U.S. borders pertaining to detecting the unlawful entry and distribution of prohibited and/or noncompliant products that may harbor exotic plant and animal pests, diseases, or invasive species. |
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APHIS-23: USDA APHIS 23 Integrated Plant Health Information System (IPHIS) |
IPHIS is an information management system that APHIS uses to access, enter, and view data on plant health events that occur nationwide. IPHIS provides survey data, compliance agreements and inspection records to APHIS plant health personnel as well as cooperators outside the agency. |
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The APHIS Lacey Act Declaration Information Systems (LADIS) is an online tool which enables the users (importers) to securely generate and file the declaration form, and save it for their records electronically via the internet for future use. LADIS also enables filers to save commonly used declaration data in templates for quick and easy future submissions. |
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This system allows only authorized USDA FOIA and PA officials to effectively monitor and track access requests and administrative appeals under the FOIA and PA; to process access requests under the FOIA and PA; to amend requests under the PA; to manage fees and calculations under the FOIA; and to satisfy USDA's reporting obligations under the FOIA and PA. |
*Additional Government wide SORNs can be found in the Federal Register. As an informational reference, Government wide SORNs can also be found at the Federal Privacy Council Website: https://www.fpc.gov/resources/SORNs/.
An official website of the United States government
