Beef shipments to US from Honduras containing illicit drugs (U.S. Department Of Agriculture, Office of the Secretary)

Good morning Ms. Sax,

The agency’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has advised the Department that further clarification of your FOIA request is required in order for it to determine if has any potentially responsive records. Since I am the FOIA Analyst currently manning the Department’s FOIA mailbox (and the person who forwarded your status inquiry to APHIS), will you please give me a call at your earliest convenience?

I can be reached at 703-675-6943. Thanks for your assistance.

Best,
Christine Jordan

[cid:image001.png@01D6544B.44559C70]
Christine Jordan
FOIA Analyst Contractor, PM
Departmental FOIA Office
Office of the General Counsel
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Room 4105
Washington, DC 20250
☎ 703-675-6943 (telework cell)
✉ Christine.Jordan@usda.gov<mailto:Christine.Jordan@usda.gov>

Good morning, Ms. Sax.

APHIS, the USDA agency, if any, that’s most likely to maintain records responsive to your request, made an initial determination that your FOIA request, as submitted, does not fall within their jurisdiction. The APHIS FOIA Office expressed its need for clarification to definitively . I thought I’d relay this to you and that you were working directly with APHIS’s FOIA Office. It appears I was mistaken. My apologies.

Please see the follow-up provided by APHIS’s FOIA Office below. I hope it is helpful in clarifying whether APHIS is the appropriate agency to address your FOIA request.

* If something was seized at the ports due to drugs, CBP would have that information.
* If seized out in commerce, that would be APHIS, primarily SITC, and yes IES would have been notified.
* FSIS would have import information (amounts) if they are/were importing from 2010-2019. We don’t keep track of that information in my office but we can access CBP system to see what was brought in but no information on seizures. However, we can’t share that information outside of VS as per our MOU with CBP; so they would have to contact them as that is their system and request this FOIA.

The Office of Information Affairs

Dear Sarah Sax, This email acknowledges receipt of your attached Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Your request was received by this office on January 05, 2021. The FOIA, 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(A)(i), requires USDA to make a determination in response to a FOIA request within 20 business days from its date of receipt. The Federal agency time limit may be extended by 10 business days as stated in 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(B). If your request seeks numerous records that will necessitate a wide-ranging search including searches with components and possible consultations with components that have a substantial interest in the determination of this request, USDA will invoke a 10 business day extension for determination of your request. You have the option to narrow the scope of your request to limit the number of potentially responsive records. Due to the increasing number of FOIA requests received by this office, we may encounter some delay in processing your request. Pursuant to USDA FOIA Regulations, Title 7 CFR §1.6(a), the USDA processes FOIA requests according to their order of receipt. Provisions of the FOIA allow USDA to recover part of the cost of complying with your request. For purposes of fee assessment, you were categorized as a " news media" requester, pursuant to 7 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of Part 1, Section (2)(b)(5)(i). For your review and information, a copy of the USDA FOIA Fee Schedule is attached. In accordance with 7 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of Part 1, Section 3(b), your fees shall be waived where the amount of the fee is $25.00 or less. If you requested a fee waiver, please note that it is currently under consideration. A search will be conducted for records responsive to your request. If any responsive records are located, they will be reviewed for determination of releasability. A FOIA specialist will respond to your request as expeditiously as possible. We appreciate your patience as we proceed with your request. Your request has been assigned FOIA Case No. . Please refer to this case number in any future correspondence. If you have any questions regarding the processing of this request, please reply directly to this message or contact 2021-FSIS-00124-F FSIS.FOIA@usda.gov or FOIA specialist Mr. Tim Poe at 202-205-3828. For additional information regarding USDA FOIA regulations and process, please refer to the information available online at www.fsis.usda.gov/foia . Sincerely, USDA FSIS FOIA Office

Goodafternoon, Pleasesee the attached regarding your 2021-FSIS-00124-F Freedom of Information Actrequest. Sincerely, Freedomof Information Act Staff Office of PublicAffairs and Consumer Education Food Safety andInspection Service, USDA