International Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standard-Setting Activities, 1826-1832 [2013-00207]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 6 / Wednesday, January 9, 2013 / Notices
there is no immediate need to make a
change.
The PPQ Treatment Manual does not
currently provide a treatment schedule
for C. capitata in Barhi variety dates. In
accordance with § 305.3(a)(1), we are
providing notice of a new cold
treatment schedule T107–i that we have
determined is effective against C.
capitata in Barhi variety dates. The
reasons for this determination are
described in a treatment evaluation
document (TED) we have prepared to
support this action. The TED may be
viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site
or in our reading room. You may also
request paper copies of the TED by
calling or writing to the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
After reviewing the comments we
receive, we will announce our decision
regarding the changes to the Treatment
Manual that are described in the TED in
a subsequent notice. If our
determination that it is necessary to add
new treatment schedule T107–i remains
unchanged following our consideration
of the comments, then we will make
available a new version of the PPQ
Treatment Manual that reflects the
addition of T107–i.
New Treatment
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
The phytosanitary treatments
regulations contained in part 305 of 7
CFR chapter III set out standards for
treatments required in parts 301, 318,
and 319 of 7 CFR chapter III for fruits,
vegetables, and other articles.
In § 305.2, paragraph (b) states that
approved treatment schedules are set
out in the Plant Protection and
Quarantine (PPQ) Treatment Manual.1
Section 305.3 sets out a process for
adding, revising, or removing treatment
schedules in the PPQ Treatment
Manual. In that section, paragraph (a)
sets out the process for adding, revising,
or removing treatment schedules when
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with
• The dates may be imported into the
United States in commercial
consignments only;
• The dates must be treated in
accordance with 7 CFR part 305 for
Ceratitis capitata; and
• The dates must be accompanied by
a phytosanitary certificate issued by the
national plant protection organization of
Israel stating that the consignment has
begun or has undergone treatment
T107–i, with the additional declaration
stating that the fruit in the consignment
was inspected and found free of
Mauginiella scaettae.
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 319.56–4(c), we are announcing the
availability of our PRA for public review
and comment. The PRA may be viewed
on the Regulations.gov Web site or in
our reading room (see ADDRESSES above
for instructions for accessing
Regulations.gov and information on the
location and hours of the reading room).
You may also request paper copies of
the PRA by calling or writing to the
person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the
subject of the analysis that you wish to
review when requesting copies.
After reviewing any comments we
receive, we will announce our decision
regarding the import status of fresh
Barhi variety dates from Israel in a
subsequent notice. If the overall
conclusions of the analysis and the
Administrator’s determination of risk
remain unchanged following our
consideration of the comments, then we
will authorize the importation of fresh
Barhi variety dates from Israel into the
United States subject to the
requirements specified in the RMD.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
1 The Treatment Manual is available on the
Internet at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/
import_export/plants/manuals/index.shtml or by
contacting the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Manuals
Unit, 92 Thomas Johnson Drive, Suite 200,
Frederick, MD 21702.
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Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 7701–7772, and
7781–7786; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 7 CFR
2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 2nd day of
January, 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–00194 Filed 1–8–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0082]
International Sanitary and
Phytosanitary Standard-Setting
Activities
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
In accordance with legislation
implementing the results of the Uruguay
Round of negotiations under the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, we are
informing the public of the international
standard-setting activities of the World
Organization for Animal Health, the
Secretariat of the International Plant
Protection Convention, and the North
American Plant Protection Organization,
SUMMARY:
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and we are soliciting public comment
on the standards to be considered.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/
#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-00820001.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
APHIS–2012–0082, Regulatory Analysis
and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station
3A–03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.
Supporting documents and any
comments we receive on this docket
may be viewed at https://
www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0082 or
in our reading room, which is located in
room 1141 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
general information on the topics
covered in this notice, contact Mrs.
Jessica Mahalingappa, Acting Associate
Deputy Administrator for SPS
Management, International Services,
APHIS, room 1132, USDA South
Building, 14th Street and Independence
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250;
(202) 799–7121.
For specific information regarding
standard-setting activities of the World
Organization for Animal Health, contact
Dr. Michael David, Director,
International Animal Health Standards
Team, National Center for Import and
Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road,
Unit 33, Riverdale, MD 20737–1231;
(301) 851–3302.
For specific information regarding the
standard-setting activities of the
International Plant Protection
Convention or the North American Plant
Protection Organization, contact Ms.
Julie E. Aliaga, Program Director,
International Phytosanitary Standards,
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 140,
Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301) 851–
2032.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The World Trade Organization (WTO)
was established as the common
international institutional framework for
governing trade relations among its
members in matters related to the
Uruguay Round Agreements. The WTO
is the successor organization to the
General Agreement on Tariffs and
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Trade. U.S. membership in the WTO
was approved by Congress when it
enacted the Uruguay Round Agreements
Act (Pub. L. 103–465), which was
signed into law on December 8, 1994.
The WTO Agreements, which
established the WTO, entered into force
with respect to the United States on
January 1, 1995. The Uruguay Round
Agreements Act amended Title IV of the
Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19
U.S.C. 2531 et seq.). Section 491 of the
Trade Agreements Act of 1979, as
amended (19 U.S.C. 2578), requires the
President to designate an agency to be
responsible for informing the public of
the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS)
standard-setting activities of each
international standard-setting
organization. The designated agency
must inform the public by publishing an
annual notice in the Federal Register
that provides the following information:
(1) The SPS standards under
consideration or planned for
consideration by the international
standard-setting organization; and (2)
for each SPS standard specified, a
description of the consideration or
planned consideration of that standard,
a statement of whether the United States
is participating or plans to participate in
the consideration of that standard, the
agenda for U.S. participation, if any, and
the agency responsible for representing
the United States with respect to that
standard.
‘‘International standard’’ is defined in
19 U.S.C. 2578b as any standard,
guideline, or recommendation: (1)
Adopted by the Codex Alimentarius
Commission (Codex) regarding food
safety; (2) developed under the auspices
of the World Organization for Animal
Health (OIE, formerly known as the
Office International des Epizooties)
regarding animal health and welfare,
and zoonoses; (3) developed under the
auspices of the Secretariat of the
International Plant Protection
Convention (IPPC) in cooperation with
the North American Plant Protection
Organization (NAPPO) regarding plant
health; or (4) established by or
developed under any other international
organization agreed to by the member
countries of the North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or the
member countries of the WTO.
The President, pursuant to
Proclamation No. 6780 of March 23,
1995 (60 FR 15845), designated the
Secretary of Agriculture as the official
responsible for informing the public of
the SPS standard-setting activities of
Codex, OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO. The
United States Department of
Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) informs the
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public of Codex standard-setting
activities, and USDA’s Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
informs the public of OIE, IPPC, and
NAPPO standard-setting activities.
FSIS publishes an annual notice in
the Federal Register to inform the
public of SPS standard-setting activities
for Codex. Codex was created in 1962 by
two United Nations organizations, the
Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) and the World Health
Organization. It is the major
international organization for
encouraging international trade in food
and protecting the health and economic
interests of consumers.
APHIS is responsible for publishing
an annual notice of OIE, IPPC, and
NAPPO activities related to
international standards for plant and
animal health and representing the
United States with respect to these
standards. Following are descriptions of
the OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO
organizations and the standard-setting
agenda for each of these organizations.
We have described the agenda that each
of these organizations will address at
their annual general sessions, including
standards that may be presented for
adoption or consideration, as well as
other initiatives that may be underway
at the OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO.
The agendas for these meetings are
subject to change, and the draft
standards identified in this notice may
not be sufficiently developed and ready
for adoption as indicated. Also, while it
is the intent of the United States to
support adoption of international
standards and to participate actively
and fully in their development, it
should be recognized that the U.S.
position on a specific draft standard will
depend on the acceptability of the final
draft. Given the dynamic and interactive
nature of the standard-setting process,
we encourage any persons who are
interested in the most current details
about a specific draft standard or the
U.S. position on a particular standardsetting issue, or in providing comments
on a specific standard that may be under
development, to contact APHIS. Contact
information is provided at the beginning
of this notice under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
OIE Standard-Setting Activities
The OIE was established in Paris,
France, in 1924 with the signing of an
international agreement by 28 countries.
It is currently composed of 178
Members, each of which is represented
by a delegate who, in most cases, is the
chief veterinary officer of that country
or territory. The WTO has recognized
the OIE as the international forum for
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setting animal health and welfare
standards, reporting global animal
disease events, and presenting
guidelines and recommendations on
sanitary measures relating to animal
health.
The OIE facilitates intergovernmental
cooperation to prevent the spread of
contagious diseases in animals by
sharing scientific research among its
Members. The major functions of the
OIE are to collect and disseminate
information on the distribution and
occurrence of animal diseases and to
ensure that science-based standards
govern international trade in animals
and animal products. The OIE aims to
achieve these through the development
and revision of international standards
for diagnostic tests, vaccines, and the
safe international trade of animals and
animal products.
The OIE provides annual reports on
the global distribution of animal
diseases, recognizes the free status of
Members for certain diseases,
categorizes animal diseases with respect
to their international significance,
publishes bulletins on global disease
status, and provides animal disease
control guidelines to Members. Various
OIE commissions and working groups
undertake the development and
preparation of draft standards, which
are then circulated to Members for
consultation (review and comment).
Draft standards are revised accordingly
and are then presented to the OIE World
Assembly of Delegates (all the Members)
during the General Session, which
meets annually every May, for review
and adoption. Adoption, as a general
rule, is based on consensus of the OIE
membership.
The next OIE General Session is
scheduled for May 26–31, 2013, in
Paris, France. Currently, the Deputy
Administrator for APHIS’ Veterinary
Services program is the official U.S.
Delegate to the OIE. The Deputy
Administrator for APHIS’ Veterinary
Services program intends to participate
in the proceedings and will discuss or
comment on APHIS’ position on any
standard up for adoption. Information
about OIE draft Terrestrial and Aquatic
Animal Health Code chapters may be
found on the Internet at https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/
animals/oie/ or by contacting Dr.
Michael David (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT above).
OIE Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal
Health Code Chapters and Appendices
Adopted by the May 2012 General
Session
Over 32 Code chapters were amended,
rewritten, or newly proposed and
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presented for adoption at the General
Session. The following Code chapters
are of particular interest to the United
States:
1. Glossary
The definition for the term
‘‘infestation’’ was added to the
chapter.
2. Chapter 1.1, Notification of Diseases
and Epidemiological Information
The change in the text updates some
of the terminology in this chapter.
3. Chapter 1.2, Criteria for listing
diseases
New criteria were adopted for listing
notifiable diseases.
4. Chapter 1.4, Animal Health
Surveillance
Minor changes and some additional
text for improved clarity were
adopted.
5. Chapter 3.2, Evaluation of Veterinary
Services
Text in this chapter was modified for
clarity and adopted.
6. Chapter 3.4, Veterinary Legislation
This is a new Code chapter which was
adopted with minor modifications
to the text.
7. Chapter 4.6, Collection and
Processing of Bovine, Small
Ruminant and Porcine Semen
This chapter was adopted with
updated text to include new testing
procedures.
8. Chapter 6.4, Biosecurity Procedures
in Poultry Production
Minor updates to this chapter were
adopted.
9. Chapter 6.7, Harmonization of
National Antimicrobial Resistance
Surveillance and Monitoring
Programs
Text concerning specificity
(prescriptiveness) was removed and
made more accommodating of the
local situation.
10. Chapter 6.8, Monitoring of the
Quantities and Usage Patterns of
Antimicrobial Agents Used in Food
Producing Animals
Changes were made in this chapter to
improve clarity.
11. Chapter 7.1, Introduction to the
recommendations for animal
welfare
General principles for animal welfare
in livestock production systems
were developed and adopted.
12. Chapter 7.9, Animal Welfare in Beef
Cattle Production Systems
This newly adopted code chapter is
the first animal welfare chapter on
production and housing of
livestock.
13. Chapter 8.6, Aujesky’s disease
Additional clarity was made to the
term ‘‘captive wild pigs’’ to clearly
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indicate that these are pigs which
are ‘‘under direct human
supervision and control’’.
14. Chapter 10.4, Notifiable Avian
Influenza
Text was added to the ‘‘General
Provisions’’ section of this chapter
to clarify a country’s disease
notification requirements.
15. Chapter 12.9, Equine viral arteritis
An updated chapter on Equine viral
arteritis was adopted.
The following Aquatic Code chapters
are of particular interest to the United
States:
1. Chapter 6.4, Monitoring of the
quantities and usage patterns of
antimicrobial agents used in
aquatic animals
This is a new Code chapter adopted
and supported by the United States.
2. Chapter 6.5, Development and
harmonization of national
antimicrobial resistance
surveillance and monitoring
programs for aquatic animals
This is a new Code chapter.
3. Chapter 7.4, Killing of farmed fish for
disease control purposes
This is a new chapter.
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code
Chapters and Appendices for Future
Review
Existing Terrestrial Animal Health
Code chapters that may be further
revised and new chapters that may be
drafted in preparation for the next
General Session in 2013 include the
following:
• Chapter 6.9, Responsible and
Prudent Use of Antimicrobial Agents in
Veterinary Medicine.
• Chapter 6.10, Risk Analysis for
Antimicrobial Resistance Arising from
the Use of Antimicrobial Agents in
Animals.
• Chapter 7.5, Use of Animals in
Research and Education
• Chapter 8.3, Bluetongue.
• Chapter 8.4, Infection with
Echinococcus multilocularis.
• Chapter 8.12, Rinderpest.
• Chapter 8.13, Infection with
Trichinella.
• Chapter 8.15, Vesicular stomatitis.
• Chapter 9.1, Infestation of honey
bees with Acarapis woodi.
• Chapter 9.4, Infestation with
Aethina.
• Chapter 9.5, Infestation of honey
bees with Tropilaelaps spp.
• Chapter 9.6, Infestation of honey
bees with Varroa spp.
• Chapter 11.2, Infection with Lumpy
skin disease virus.
• Chapter 11.3, Infection with
Brucella abortus,
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• Chapter 11.X, Infection with
Brucella melitensis.
• Chapter 11.X, Infection with
Brucella suis.
• Chapter 14.8, Infection with Peste
Des Petits Ruminants Virus.
• Chapter 15.2, Classical swine fever.
• Chapter X.X., Infection with
Echinococcus granulosus.
• Chapter 7.X, Animal Welfare in
Broiler Production Systems.
• Chapter 7.X Animal Welfare in
Dairy Production Systems.
IPPC Standard-Setting Activities
The IPPC is a multilateral convention
adopted in 1952 for the purpose of
securing common and effective action to
prevent the spread and introduction of
pests of plants and plant products and
to promote appropriate measures for
their control. Under the IPPC, the
understanding of plant protection has
been, and continues to be, broad,
encompassing the protection of both
cultivated and noncultivated plants
from direct or indirect injury by plant
pests. Activities addressed by the IPPC
include the development and
establishment of international plant
health standards, the harmonization of
phytosanitary activities through
emerging standards, the facilitation of
the exchange of official and scientific
information among countries, and the
furnishing of technical assistance to
developing countries that are signatories
to the IPPC.
The IPPC is under the authority of the
Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO), and the members of the
Secretariat of the IPPC are appointed by
the FAO. The IPPC is implemented by
national plant protection organizations
(NPPOs) in cooperation with regional
plant protection organizations (RPPOs);
the Commission on Phytosanitary
Measures (CPM, formerly referred to as
the International Commission on
Phytosanitary Measures); and the
Secretariat of the IPPC. The United
States plays a major role in all standardsetting activities under the IPPC and has
representation on FAO’s highest
governing body, the FAO Conference.
The United States became a
contracting party to the IPPC in 1972
and has been actively involved in
furthering the work of the IPPC ever
since. The IPPC was amended in 1979,
and the amended version entered into
force in 1991 after two-thirds of the
contracting countries accepted the
amendment. More recently, in 1997,
contracting parties completed
negotiations on further amendments
that were approved by the FAO
Conference and submitted to the parties
for acceptance. This 1997 amendment
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updated phytosanitary concepts and
formalized the standard-setting
structure within the IPPC. The 1997
amended version of the IPPC entered
into force after two-thirds of the
contracting parties notified the Director
General of FAO of their acceptance of
the amendment in October 2005. The
U.S. Senate gave its advice and consent
to acceptance of the newly revised IPPC
on October 18, 2000. The President
submitted the official letter of
acceptance to the FAO Director General
on October 4, 2001.
The IPPC has been, and continues to
be, administered at the national level by
plant quarantine officials whose
primary objective is to safeguard plant
resources from injurious pests. In the
United States, the national plant
protection organization is APHIS’ Plant
Protection and Quarantine (PPQ)
program. The steps for developing a
standard under the IPPC are described
below.
Step 1: Proposals for a new
international standard for phytosanitary
measures (ISPM) or for the review or
revision of an existing ISPM are
submitted to the Secretariat of the IPPC
in a standardized format on a 2-year
cycle. Alternatively, the Secretariat can
propose a new standard or amendments
to existing standards.
Step 2: After review by the Standards
Committee and the Strategic Planning, a
summary of proposals is submitted by
the Secretariat to the CPM. The CPM
identifies the topics and priorities for
standard setting from among the
proposals submitted to the Secretariat
and others that may be raised by the
CPM.
Step 3: Specifications for the
standards identified as priorities by the
CPM are drafted by the Standards
Committee. The draft specifications are
subsequently made available to
members and RPPOs for comment (60
days). Comments are submitted in
writing to the Secretariat. Taking into
account the comments, the Standards
Committee finalizes the specifications.
Step 4: The standard is drafted or
revised in accordance with the
specifications by a working group
designated by the Standards Committee.
The resulting draft standard is
submitted to the Standards Committee
for review.
Step 5: Draft standards approved by
the Standards Committee are distributed
to members by the Secretariat and
RPPOs for consultation (100 days).
Comments are submitted in writing to
the Secretariat. Where appropriate, the
Standards Committee may establish
open-ended discussion groups as
forums for further comment. The
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Secretariat summarizes the comments
and submits them to the Standards
Committee.
Step 6: Taking into account the
comments, the Secretariat, in
cooperation with the Standards
Committee, revises the draft standard.
The Standards Committee submits the
final version to the CPM for adoption.
Step 7: The ISPM is established
through formal adoption by the CPM
according to Rule X of the Rules of
Procedure of the CPM.
Step 8: Review of the ISPM is
completed by the specified date or such
other date as may be agreed upon by the
CPM.
Each member country is represented
on the CPM by a single delegate.
Although experts and advisors may
accompany the delegate to meetings of
the CPM, only the delegate (or an
authorized alternate) may represent
each member country in considering a
standard up for approval. Parties
involved in a vote by the CPM are to
make every effort to reach agreement on
all matters by consensus. Only after all
efforts to reach a consensus have been
exhausted may a decision on a standard
be passed by a vote of two-thirds of
delegates present and voting.
Technical experts from the United
States have participated directly in
working groups and indirectly as
reviewers of all IPPC draft standards.
The United States also has a
representative on the Standards
Committee and the CPM Bureau. In
addition, documents and positions
developed by APHIS and NAPPO have
been sources of significant input for
many of the standards adopted to date.
This notice describes each of the IPPC
standards currently under consideration
or up for adoption. The full text of each
standard will be available on the
Internet at https://ocs.ippc.int/
index.html#. Interested individuals may
review the standards posted on this Web
site and submit comments to
Julie.E.Aliaga@aphis.usda.gov.
The next CPM meeting is scheduled
for April 8–12, 2013, at FAO
Headquarters in Rome, Italy. The
Deputy Administrator for APHIS’ PPQ
program is the U.S. delegate to the CPM.
The Deputy Administrator intends to
participate in the proceedings and will
discuss or comment on APHIS’ position
on any standards up for adoption. The
agenda for the Fifth Session of the
Commission of Phytosanitary Measures
is as follows:
1. Opening of the session.
2. Adoption of the agenda.
3. Election of the Rapporteur.
4. Report by the CPM chairperson.
5. Report by the Secretariat.
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6. Report of the technical consultation
among RPPOs.
7. Report of observer organizations.
8. Goal 1: A robust international
standard-setting and implementation
program.
9. Goal 2: Information exchange
systems appropriate to meet IPPC
obligations.
10. Goal 3: Effective dispute
settlement systems.
11. Goal 4: Improved phytosanitary
capacity of members.
12. Goal 5: Sustainable
implementation of the IPPC.
13. Goal 6: International promotion of
the IPPC and cooperation with relevant
regional and international organizations.
14. Goal 7: Review of the status of
plant protection in the world.
15. Election of the Bureau.
16. Membership of CPM subsidiary
bodies.
17. Calendar.
18. Other business.
19. Date and venue of the next
meeting.
20. Adoption of the report.
It is expected that the following
standards will be sufficiently developed
to be considered by the CPM for
adoption at its 2013 meeting. The
United States, represented by the
Deputy Administrator for APHIS’ PPQ
program, will participate in
consideration of these standards. The
U.S. position on each of these issues
will be developed prior to the CPM
session and will be based on APHIS’
analysis, information from other U.S.
Government agencies, and relevant
scientific information from interested
stakeholders.
• Revision of ISPM 11, Pest risk
analysis for quarantine pests and Annex
to ISPM 11, Pest risk analysis for plants
as quarantine pests. The annex provides
specific guidance for conducting pest
risk analysis to determine if a plant is
a pest of plants (cultivated or wild),
whether it should be regulated, and to
identify phytosanitary measures to
reduce pest risk to an acceptable level.
The international standard has been
modified to harmonize concepts with its
annex.
• Annex 1 to ISPM 15: Approved
treatments associated with wood
packaging material. The annex contains
guidance for the use of approved
treatments for wood packaging material,
including heat treatments (conventional
steam or dry kiln, and dielectric
radiation) and methyl bromide.
New Standard-Setting Initiatives,
Including Those in Development
A number of expert working group
meetings or other technical
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consultations will take place during
2013 on the topics listed below. These
standard-setting initiatives are under
development and may be considered for
future adoption. APHIS intends to
participate actively and fully in each of
these working groups. The U.S. position
on each of the topics to be addressed by
these various working groups will be
developed prior to these working group
meetings and will be based on APHIS’
technical analysis, information from
other U.S. Government agencies, and
relevant scientific information from
interested stakeholders.
1. Establishment and maintenance of
fruit fly quarantine areas within pest
free areas in the event of an outbreak
detection. This draft is proposed as an
Annex to ISPM 26, Establishment of
pest free areas for fruit flies
(Tephritidae). It will provide guidance
on the establishment and maintenance
of regulated areas within pest free areas
(PFA) when fruit fly outbreaks are
detected. It will provide guidance on
phytosanitary measures which are
intended to protect other production
areas and, as far as possible, will allow
for the continuation of fruit and
vegetable production, movement and
handling, treatment, and shipping when
some or all of the components of the
export process are located in the
regulated areas within the PFA.
2. Determination of host status of
fruits and vegetables to fruit fly
(Tephritidae) infestation. This standard
will provide guidelines for the
determination of the host status of fruits
and vegetables to fruit fly infestation. It
describes three categories of host status
for fruit flies: natural host, non-natural
host, and non-host. It includes
methodologies for surveillance under
natural field conditions and trials under
semi-natural field conditions that
should be used to ascertain the host
status of fruits and vegetables to fruit fly
infestation where the knowledge of host
status is uncertain or disputed.
3. Appendix to ISPM 12: Electronic
certification, information on standard
XML schemes and exchange
mechanisms. This appendix contains
information and guidance to NPPOs to
use the World Wide Web Consortium
(WC3) Extensible Markup Language
(XML) as the standardized language for
exchange of electronic certificate data
between NPPOs.
4. Annex to ISPM 27: Diagnostic
Protocol for Tilletia indica. This
diagnostic protocol contains pest
information, taxonomy, detection,
examination of seeds, extraction of
teliospores, morphological
identification, germination, molecular
identification, and a list of references.
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5. Annex to ISPM 27: Diagnostic
Protocol for Guignardia citricarpa. This
diagnostic protocol contains pest
information, taxonomy, symptoms,
identification procedures, isolation and
culture, morphology, molecular assays,
and a list of references.
For more detailed information on the
above topics, which will be addressed
by various working groups established
by the CPM, contact Ms. Julie E. Aliaga
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
above).
APHIS posts draft standards on the
Internet (https://www.aphis.usda.gov/
import_export/plants/plant_exports/
phyto_international_standards.shtml) as
they become available and provides
information on the due dates for
comments. Additional information on
IPPC standards is available on the IPPC
Web site at https://www.ippc.int/IPP/En/
default.htm. For the most current
information on official U.S.
participation in IPPC activities,
including U.S. positions on standards
being considered, contact Ms. Julie E.
Aliaga (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT above). Those wishing to
provide comments on any of the areas
of work being undertaken by the IPPC
may do so at any time by responding to
this notice (see ADDRESSES above) or by
providing comments through Ms.
Aliaga.
NAPPO Standard-Setting Activities
NAPPO, a regional plant protection
organization created in 1976 under the
IPPC, coordinates the efforts among
Canada, the United States, and Mexico
to protect their plant resources from the
entry, establishment, and spread of
harmful plant pests, while facilitating
intra- and inter-regional trade. NAPPO
conducts its business through panels
and annual meetings held among the
three member countries. The NAPPO
Executive Committee charges individual
panels with the responsibility for
drawing up proposals for NAPPO
positions, policies, and standards. These
panels are made up of representatives
from each member country who have
scientific expertise related to the policy
or standard being considered. Proposals
drawn up by the individual panels are
circulated for review to Government and
industry officials in Canada, the United
States, and Mexico, who may suggest
revisions. In the United States, draft
standards are circulated to industry,
States, and various government agencies
for consideration and comment. The
draft standards are posted on the
Internet at https://www.nappo.org/en/.
Once revisions are made, the proposal is
sent to the NAPPO Working Group and
the NAPPO Standards Panel for
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technical reviews, and then to the
Executive Committee for final approval,
which is granted by consensus.
The annual NAPPO meeting was held
October 16 to 18, 2012, in Louisville,
Kentucky, United States. The NAPPO
Executive Committee meeting took
place on October 15, 2012. The Deputy
Administrator for PPQ is a member of
the NAPPO Executive Committee. The
Deputy Administrator participated in
the proceedings to discuss or comment
on APHIS’ position on any standard up
for adoption or any proposals to develop
new standards.
Below is a summary of current panel
assignments as they relate to the
ongoing development of NAPPO
standards. The United States (i.e.,
USDA/APHIS) intends to participate
actively and fully in the work of each of
these panels. The U.S. position on each
topic will be guided and informed by
the best scientific information available
on each of these topics. For each of the
following panels, the United States will
consider its position on any draft
standard after it reviews a prepared
draft. Information regarding the
following NAPPO panel topics,
assignments, activities, and updates on
meeting times and locations may be
obtained from the NAPPO homepage at
https://www.nappo.org or by contacting
Ms. Julie E. Aliaga (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT above).
1. Accreditation Panel
The panel will perform an audit of the
U.S. NPPO’s adherence to Regional
Standard for Phytosanitary Measures
(RSPM) 9, ‘‘Authorization of
laboratories for phytosanitary testing’’
and review the audit training program
with a view to establishing a
harmonized approach for NAPPO
countries.
2. Biological Control Panel
The panel has revised RSPM 26,
‘‘Certification of commercial arthropod
biological control agents moving into
NAPPO member countries,’’ reviewed
the Technical Advisory Group (TAG)
report on the evaluation of risk of
imported bee pollen and royal jelly on
plant health through the use of
pollinators, and will determine research
needs and recommend mitigation
measures.
3. Citrus Panel
The panel continues exchanging
information on the situation of citrus
quarantine pests among NAPPO
member countries, OIRSA, and other
Caribbean countries. The panel is
revising and updating the appendices
for RSPM 16, ‘‘Importation of Citrus
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propagative material into a NAPPO
member country’’. The panel will
recommend measures for the
establishment and maintenance of area
wide management programs for
Huanglongbing (HLB) and its vector.
4. Electronic Phytosanitary Certification
Panel
The panel continues participating in
the international development of
electronic certification towards a
functioning regional and global ecertification capability; reviewing the
consolidated IPPC XML Schema and
ISPM 12 mapping currently being
developed by the IPPC; harmonizing
ISPM 12 code list for botanical names,
treatments, additional declarations and
product descriptions; and advancing
discussions of methods for the transfer,
security measures, and the validation of
electronic certification.
5. Forestry Panel
The panel completed the standard for
regulating the movement of wooden
articles intended for indoor and outdoor
use (‘‘Importation of certain wooden
and bamboo commodities into a NAPPO
member country’’); completed the
drafting of a standard on the movement
of Christmas trees within the NAPPO
region; is working on a discussion paper
regarding the applicability of the current
standards for heat treatment for wood
products considering that certain pests
such as the emerald ash borer (EAB)
have demonstrated a tolerance to
treatments; has reviewed and drafted a
discussion paper reporting on the risks
associated with fungi moving on wood
commodities; and directed a TAG to
report advances on additional research
for the application of biological control
of the EAB. The panel is working on a
document summarizing current
approaches used within North America
to manage pests of firewood.
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6. Fruit Panel
The panel has developed
recommendations for technically
justified phytosanitary measures to
mitigate the risk of introduction of
Lobesia botrana into NAPPO countries,
including measures to deal with a
possible outbreak; has provided
oversight to a TAG to compile and
analyze the available scientific
information on appropriate
phytosanitary measures against
Drosophila suzukii, evaluating and
determining which measures are
appropriate for application by NAPPO
countries; and is completing the TAG
documents on Rhagoletis and
Tetranychus trapping.
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7. Grains Panel
The panel contributed to the
organization (agenda and speakers) of
the IPPC workshop on the international
movement of grain, in Vancouver,
Canada, in December 2011. Taking into
account discussions at the IPPC
workshop, the panel identified relevant
phytosanitary issues and evaluated the
need for a NAPPO standard on the
movement of grain.
8. Invasive Species Panel
The panel finalized a pathway risk
analysis standard with support from the
Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) panel;
collaborated with the PRA panel to
review the scientific literature on
climate change and completed the
discussion paper on its pertinence to the
PRA process; and identified the most
important invasive plant species threats
to North America, which were
presented at the NAPPO Annual
Meeting symposium in October 2012.
9. Pest Risk Analysis Panel
The panel completed the discussion
paper on the potential for climate
change to affect the ability of pests to
spread and establish in new areas,
including the implications for the
current PRA process, with assistance
from the Invasive Species panel;
reviewed and addressed comments on
the NAPPO Pest Risk Analysis standard
(RSPM 31); completed a discussion
paper summarizing the risk associated
with the movement of wooden articles
intended for indoor and outdoor use;
and completed the development of the
PRA format including risk-ranking
guidelines.
10. Phytosanitary Alert System (PAS)
Panel
The panel prepared guidelines for the
development of pest alerts and a
checklist of alert sources to ensure all
available sources are being utilized but
not duplicated; coordinated outreach
with other related Web sites and linked
them to the PAS Web site; conducted
outreach activities for possible
collaboration between NAPPO, OIRSA,
and other NPPOs in Central America on
pest alerts; and posted new pest reports
and alerts to the NAPPO PAS Web site.
11. Plants for Planting
The panel reviewed the need to
maintain RSPM 24, ‘‘Integrated pest risk
management measures for the
importation of plants for planting into
NAPPO member countries’’ after the
IPPC standard on the same subject was
adopted; completed the pest list
annexes for RSPM 35, ‘‘Guidelines for
the Movement of Stone and Pome Fruit
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1831
Trees and Grapevines into a NAPPO
Member Country;’’ and organized the
Plants for Planting Symposium for the
2012 Annual Meeting, focusing on
regulatory strategies for the nursery
industry (including greenhouses).
12. Potato Panel
The panel developed a NAPPO
discussion paper on the efficacy of
potato sprout inhibitors, gathered the
most recent information potato virus Y
and identified the strains of concern to
the NAPPO region based on biological
and economic factors, and completed
the review of RSPM 3, ‘‘Requirements
for the importation of potatoes.’’ The
panel investigated the potential
phytosanitary issues related to zebra
chip.
13. Seeds Panel
The panel is working to complete the
NAPPO regional standard on seed
movement, an appendix on pathogens
considered to be seedborne and seedtransmitted pests, and the annexes
covering phytosanitary import
requirements, recommended seed
testing and diagnostic methods for most
important seed pests, and recommended
seed treatments for quarantine seed
pests. The panel continues to support
efforts in the development of an
international standard for seed.
14. Standards Panel
The panel coordinated the review of
new and amended NAPPO standards,
diagnostic and treatment protocols, and
implementation plans; provided
updates on NAPPO standards and
ISPMs for the NAPPO Newsletter;
maintained the NAPPO Glossary; and is
developing a regulatory response upon
detection of new pests in NAPPO to
avoid bilateral irritants.
15. Tuta absoluta Technical Advisory
Group
This TAG has developed a
surveillance protocol for the tomato leaf
miner, Tuta absoluta for NAPPO
countries which includes a system for
early detection, trapping criteria, a
system for delimiting surveys, and
recommended phytosanitary measures
when detections are made.
The PPQ Associate Deputy
Administrator, as the official U.S.
delegate to NAPPO, intends to
participate in the adoption of these
regional plant health standards,
including the work described above,
once they are completed and ready for
such consideration.
The information in this notice
contains all the information available to
us on NAPPO standards currently under
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development or consideration. For
updates on meeting times and for
information on the working panels that
may become available following
publication of this notice, go to the
NAPPO Web site on the Internet at
https://www.nappo.org or contact Ms.
Julie Aliaga (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT above).
Information on official U.S.
participation in NAPPO activities,
including U.S. positions on standards
being considered, may also be obtained
from Ms. Aliaga. Those wishing to
provide comments on any of the topics
being addressed by any of the NAPPO
panels may do so at any time by
responding to this notice (see
ADDRESSES above) or by transmitting
comments through Ms. Aliaga.
Done in Washington, DC, this 2nd day of
January, 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–00207 Filed 1–8–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0080]
National Wildlife Services Advisory
Committee; Notice of Solicitation for
Membership
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of solicitation for
membership.
AGENCY:
We are giving notice that the
Secretary of Agriculture is soliciting
nominations for the National Wildlife
Services Advisory Committee.
DATES: Consideration will be given to
nominations received on or before
March 11, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Nomination packages may
be sent by postal mail or commercial
delivery to The Honorable Thomas
Vilsack, Secretary, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue
SW., Washington, DC 20250, Attn:
Secretary’s National Wildlife Services
Advisory Committee. Nomination
packages may also be faxed to (301)
734–5157.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Carrie Joyce, Designated Federal Officer,
WS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 87,
Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851–3999.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
National Wildlife Services Advisory
Committee (the Committee) advises the
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SUMMARY:
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Secretary of Agriculture on policies,
program issues, and research needed to
conduct the Wildlife Services program.
The Committee also serves as a public
forum enabling those affected by the
Wildlife Services program to have a
voice in the program’s policies. The
Committee Chairperson and Vice
Chairperson shall be elected by the
Committee from among its members.
We are soliciting nominations from
interested organizations and
individuals. An organization may
nominate individuals from within or
outside of its membership; alternatively,
an individual may nominate herself or
himself. Nomination packages should
include a nomination form along with a
cover letter or resume that documents
the nominee’s experience. Nomination
forms are available on the Internet at
https://www.ocio.usda.gov/forms/doc/
AD–755.pdf or may be obtained from
the person listed under For Further
Information Contact.
The Secretary will select members to
obtain the broadest possible
representation on the Committee, in
accordance with the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. II) and
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Regulations 1041–1. Equal opportunity
practices, in line with the USDA
policies, will be followed in all
appointments to the Committee. To
ensure that the recommendations of the
Committee have taken into account the
needs of the diverse groups served by
the Department, membership should
include, to the extent practicable,
individuals with demonstrated ability to
represent minorities, women, and
persons with disabilities.
Done in Washington, DC, this 2nd day of
January 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–00195 Filed 1–8–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests;
Id; Crooked River Valley Rehabilitation
Project
Correction
In notice document 2012–29836
appearing on pages 73976–73978 in the
issue of Wednesday, December 12, 2012,
make the following corrections:
1. On page 73977, in the first column,
on the ninth and tenth lines,
‘‘comments-northernnezperce-red-
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river@fsled.us’’ should read ‘‘commentsnorthern-nezperce-red-river@fs.fed.us’’.
2. On the same page, in the same
column, in the thirty-fourth through
thirty-sixth lines, ‘‘https://
www.fs.fed.usinepa/fs-usda-pop.php/
?project=40648’’ should read ‘‘https://
www.fs.fed.us/nepa/fs-usda-pop.php/
?project=40648’’.
[FR Doc. C1–2012–29836 Filed 1–8–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1505–01–D
CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD
INVESTIGATION BOARD
Sunshine Act Meeting
January 17, 2013; 2:30
p.m. EST.
PLACE: Ronald Reagan Building and
International Trade Center, Horizon
Room, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20004.
STATUS: Open to the public.
MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: The
Chemical Safety and Hazard
Investigation Board (CSB) announces
that it will convene a public meeting on
Thursday, January 17, 2013, starting at
2:30 p.m. EST (8:30 a.m. HawaiiAleutian Standard Time) in the Horizon
Room of the Ronald Reagan Building
and International Trade Center at 1300
Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington,
DC 20004.
The agenda for the meeting includes
the presentation of the findings from the
CSB investigation of the April 8, 2011,
explosion and fire that killed five
workers at a storage facility used by
Donaldson Enterprises Inc. (DEI) near
Honolulu, Hawaii. The explosion
occurred during the disposal of
professional-grade fireworks, illegally
labeled for consumer use by a Chinese
manufacturer, that had been seized by
U.S. customs agents upon importation.
DEI was performing the disposal work
as a subcontractor to VSE Corporation,
which held a contract with the U.S.
Treasury Department for the disposal of
seized property.
At the meeting, CSB staff will present
to the Board the results of the
investigation into this incident. Key
issues identified in the investigation
include the methods used to dispose of
the fireworks, U.S. Government
contracting standards for hazardous
work, and the absence of a national
standard or industry good practice for
fireworks disposal. Following the staff
presentation on proposed findings and
safety recommendations, the Board will
hear brief comments from the public.
Following the conclusion of the
public comment period, the Board will
TIME AND DATE:
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 9, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1826-1832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00207]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2012-0082]
International Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standard-Setting
Activities
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with legislation implementing the results of the
Uruguay Round of negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade, we are informing the public of the international standard-
setting activities of the World Organization for Animal Health, the
Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention, and the
North American Plant Protection Organization, and we are soliciting
public comment on the standards to be considered.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0082-0001.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2012-0082, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD,
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may
be viewed at https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-
0082 or in our reading room, which is located in room 1141 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 general information on the topics
covered in this notice, contact Mrs. Jessica Mahalingappa, Acting
Associate Deputy Administrator for SPS Management, International
Services, APHIS, room 1132, USDA South Building, 14th Street and
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250; (202) 799-7121.
For specific information regarding standard-setting activities of
the World Organization for Animal Health, contact Dr. Michael David,
Director, International Animal Health Standards Team, National Center
for Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 33, Riverdale,
MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-3302.
For specific information regarding the standard-setting activities
of the International Plant Protection Convention or the North American
Plant Protection Organization, contact Ms. Julie E. Aliaga, Program
Director, International Phytosanitary Standards, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River
Road, Unit 140, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-2032.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established as the common
international institutional framework for governing trade relations
among its members in matters related to the Uruguay Round Agreements.
The WTO is the successor organization to the General Agreement on
Tariffs and
[[Page 1827]]
Trade. U.S. membership in the WTO was approved by Congress when it
enacted the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (Pub. L. 103-465), which was
signed into law on December 8, 1994. The WTO Agreements, which
established the WTO, entered into force with respect to the United
States on January 1, 1995. The Uruguay Round Agreements Act amended
Title IV of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19 U.S.C. 2531 et seq.).
Section 491 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, as amended (19 U.S.C.
2578), requires the President to designate an agency to be responsible
for informing the public of the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS)
standard-setting activities of each international standard-setting
organization. The designated agency must inform the public by
publishing an annual notice in the Federal Register that provides the
following information: (1) The SPS standards under consideration or
planned for consideration by the international standard-setting
organization; and (2) for each SPS standard specified, a description of
the consideration or planned consideration of that standard, a
statement of whether the United States is participating or plans to
participate in the consideration of that standard, the agenda for U.S.
participation, if any, and the agency responsible for representing the
United States with respect to that standard.
``International standard'' is defined in 19 U.S.C. 2578b as any
standard, guideline, or recommendation: (1) Adopted by the Codex
Alimentarius Commission (Codex) regarding food safety; (2) developed
under the auspices of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE,
formerly known as the Office International des Epizooties) regarding
animal health and welfare, and zoonoses; (3) developed under the
auspices of the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection
Convention (IPPC) in cooperation with the North American Plant
Protection Organization (NAPPO) regarding plant health; or (4)
established by or developed under any other international organization
agreed to by the member countries of the North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA) or the member countries of the WTO.
The President, pursuant to Proclamation No. 6780 of March 23, 1995
(60 FR 15845), designated the Secretary of Agriculture as the official
responsible for informing the public of the SPS standard-setting
activities of Codex, OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO. The United States Department
of Agriculture's (USDA's) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
informs the public of Codex standard-setting activities, and USDA's
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) informs the public
of OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO standard-setting activities.
FSIS publishes an annual notice in the Federal Register to inform
the public of SPS standard-setting activities for Codex. Codex was
created in 1962 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization. It is
the major international organization for encouraging international
trade in food and protecting the health and economic interests of
consumers.
APHIS is responsible for publishing an annual notice of OIE, IPPC,
and NAPPO activities related to international standards for plant and
animal health and representing the United States with respect to these
standards. Following are descriptions of the OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO
organizations and the standard-setting agenda for each of these
organizations. We have described the agenda that each of these
organizations will address at their annual general sessions, including
standards that may be presented for adoption or consideration, as well
as other initiatives that may be underway at the OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO.
The agendas for these meetings are subject to change, and the draft
standards identified in this notice may not be sufficiently developed
and ready for adoption as indicated. Also, while it is the intent of
the United States to support adoption of international standards and to
participate actively and fully in their development, it should be
recognized that the U.S. position on a specific draft standard will
depend on the acceptability of the final draft. Given the dynamic and
interactive nature of the standard-setting process, we encourage any
persons who are interested in the most current details about a specific
draft standard or the U.S. position on a particular standard-setting
issue, or in providing comments on a specific standard that may be
under development, to contact APHIS. Contact information is provided at
the beginning of this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
OIE Standard-Setting Activities
The OIE was established in Paris, France, in 1924 with the signing
of an international agreement by 28 countries. It is currently composed
of 178 Members, each of which is represented by a delegate who, in most
cases, is the chief veterinary officer of that country or territory.
The WTO has recognized the OIE as the international forum for setting
animal health and welfare standards, reporting global animal disease
events, and presenting guidelines and recommendations on sanitary
measures relating to animal health.
The OIE facilitates intergovernmental cooperation to prevent the
spread of contagious diseases in animals by sharing scientific research
among its Members. The major functions of the OIE are to collect and
disseminate information on the distribution and occurrence of animal
diseases and to ensure that science-based standards govern
international trade in animals and animal products. The OIE aims to
achieve these through the development and revision of international
standards for diagnostic tests, vaccines, and the safe international
trade of animals and animal products.
The OIE provides annual reports on the global distribution of
animal diseases, recognizes the free status of Members for certain
diseases, categorizes animal diseases with respect to their
international significance, publishes bulletins on global disease
status, and provides animal disease control guidelines to Members.
Various OIE commissions and working groups undertake the development
and preparation of draft standards, which are then circulated to
Members for consultation (review and comment). Draft standards are
revised accordingly and are then presented to the OIE World Assembly of
Delegates (all the Members) during the General Session, which meets
annually every May, for review and adoption. Adoption, as a general
rule, is based on consensus of the OIE membership.
The next OIE General Session is scheduled for May 26-31, 2013, in
Paris, France. Currently, the Deputy Administrator for APHIS'
Veterinary Services program is the official U.S. Delegate to the OIE.
The Deputy Administrator for APHIS' Veterinary Services program intends
to participate in the proceedings and will discuss or comment on APHIS'
position on any standard up for adoption. Information about OIE draft
Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health Code chapters may be found on the
Internet at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/animals/oie/ or by
contacting Dr. Michael David (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
above).
OIE Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health Code Chapters and Appendices
Adopted by the May 2012 General Session
Over 32 Code chapters were amended, rewritten, or newly proposed
and
[[Page 1828]]
presented for adoption at the General Session. The following Code
chapters are of particular interest to the United States:
1. Glossary
The definition for the term ``infestation'' was added to the
chapter.
2. Chapter 1.1, Notification of Diseases and Epidemiological
Information
The change in the text updates some of the terminology in this
chapter.
3. Chapter 1.2, Criteria for listing diseases
New criteria were adopted for listing notifiable diseases.
4. Chapter 1.4, Animal Health Surveillance
Minor changes and some additional text for improved clarity were
adopted.
5. Chapter 3.2, Evaluation of Veterinary Services
Text in this chapter was modified for clarity and adopted.
6. Chapter 3.4, Veterinary Legislation
This is a new Code chapter which was adopted with minor
modifications to the text.
7. Chapter 4.6, Collection and Processing of Bovine, Small Ruminant and
Porcine Semen
This chapter was adopted with updated text to include new testing
procedures.
8. Chapter 6.4, Biosecurity Procedures in Poultry Production
Minor updates to this chapter were adopted.
9. Chapter 6.7, Harmonization of National Antimicrobial Resistance
Surveillance and Monitoring Programs
Text concerning specificity (prescriptiveness) was removed and made
more accommodating of the local situation.
10. Chapter 6.8, Monitoring of the Quantities and Usage Patterns of
Antimicrobial Agents Used in Food Producing Animals
Changes were made in this chapter to improve clarity.
11. Chapter 7.1, Introduction to the recommendations for animal welfare
General principles for animal welfare in livestock production
systems were developed and adopted.
12. Chapter 7.9, Animal Welfare in Beef Cattle Production Systems
This newly adopted code chapter is the first animal welfare chapter
on production and housing of livestock.
13. Chapter 8.6, Aujesky's disease
Additional clarity was made to the term ``captive wild pigs'' to
clearly indicate that these are pigs which are ``under direct human
supervision and control''.
14. Chapter 10.4, Notifiable Avian Influenza
Text was added to the ``General Provisions'' section of this
chapter to clarify a country's disease notification requirements.
15. Chapter 12.9, Equine viral arteritis
An updated chapter on Equine viral arteritis was adopted.
The following Aquatic Code chapters are of particular interest to
the United States:
1. Chapter 6.4, Monitoring of the quantities and usage patterns of
antimicrobial agents used in aquatic animals
This is a new Code chapter adopted and supported by the United
States.
2. Chapter 6.5, Development and harmonization of national antimicrobial
resistance surveillance and monitoring programs for aquatic animals
This is a new Code chapter.
3. Chapter 7.4, Killing of farmed fish for disease control purposes
This is a new chapter.
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code Chapters and Appendices for Future
Review
Existing Terrestrial Animal Health Code chapters that may be
further revised and new chapters that may be drafted in preparation for
the next General Session in 2013 include the following:
Chapter 6.9, Responsible and Prudent Use of Antimicrobial
Agents in Veterinary Medicine.
Chapter 6.10, Risk Analysis for Antimicrobial Resistance
Arising from the Use of Antimicrobial Agents in Animals.
Chapter 7.5, Use of Animals in Research and Education
Chapter 8.3, Bluetongue.
Chapter 8.4, Infection with Echinococcus multilocularis.
Chapter 8.12, Rinderpest.
Chapter 8.13, Infection with Trichinella.
Chapter 8.15, Vesicular stomatitis.
Chapter 9.1, Infestation of honey bees with Acarapis
woodi.
Chapter 9.4, Infestation with Aethina.
Chapter 9.5, Infestation of honey bees with Tropilaelaps
spp.
Chapter 9.6, Infestation of honey bees with Varroa spp.
Chapter 11.2, Infection with Lumpy skin disease virus.
Chapter 11.3, Infection with Brucella abortus,
Chapter 11.X, Infection with Brucella melitensis.
Chapter 11.X, Infection with Brucella suis.
Chapter 14.8, Infection with Peste Des Petits Ruminants
Virus.
Chapter 15.2, Classical swine fever.
Chapter X.X., Infection with Echinococcus granulosus.
Chapter 7.X, Animal Welfare in Broiler Production Systems.
Chapter 7.X Animal Welfare in Dairy Production Systems.
IPPC Standard-Setting Activities
The IPPC is a multilateral convention adopted in 1952 for the
purpose of securing common and effective action to prevent the spread
and introduction of pests of plants and plant products and to promote
appropriate measures for their control. Under the IPPC, the
understanding of plant protection has been, and continues to be, broad,
encompassing the protection of both cultivated and noncultivated plants
from direct or indirect injury by plant pests. Activities addressed by
the IPPC include the development and establishment of international
plant health standards, the harmonization of phytosanitary activities
through emerging standards, the facilitation of the exchange of
official and scientific information among countries, and the furnishing
of technical assistance to developing countries that are signatories to
the IPPC.
The IPPC is under the authority of the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), and the members of the Secretariat of the IPPC are
appointed by the FAO. The IPPC is implemented by national plant
protection organizations (NPPOs) in cooperation with regional plant
protection organizations (RPPOs); the Commission on Phytosanitary
Measures (CPM, formerly referred to as the International Commission on
Phytosanitary Measures); and the Secretariat of the IPPC. The United
States plays a major role in all standard-setting activities under the
IPPC and has representation on FAO's highest governing body, the FAO
Conference.
The United States became a contracting party to the IPPC in 1972
and has been actively involved in furthering the work of the IPPC ever
since. The IPPC was amended in 1979, and the amended version entered
into force in 1991 after two-thirds of the contracting countries
accepted the amendment. More recently, in 1997, contracting parties
completed negotiations on further amendments that were approved by the
FAO Conference and submitted to the parties for acceptance. This 1997
amendment
[[Page 1829]]
updated phytosanitary concepts and formalized the standard-setting
structure within the IPPC. The 1997 amended version of the IPPC entered
into force after two-thirds of the contracting parties notified the
Director General of FAO of their acceptance of the amendment in October
2005. The U.S. Senate gave its advice and consent to acceptance of the
newly revised IPPC on October 18, 2000. The President submitted the
official letter of acceptance to the FAO Director General on October 4,
2001.
The IPPC has been, and continues to be, administered at the
national level by plant quarantine officials whose primary objective is
to safeguard plant resources from injurious pests. In the United
States, the national plant protection organization is APHIS' Plant
Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program. The steps for developing a
standard under the IPPC are described below.
Step 1: Proposals for a new international standard for
phytosanitary measures (ISPM) or for the review or revision of an
existing ISPM are submitted to the Secretariat of the IPPC in a
standardized format on a 2-year cycle. Alternatively, the Secretariat
can propose a new standard or amendments to existing standards.
Step 2: After review by the Standards Committee and the Strategic
Planning, a summary of proposals is submitted by the Secretariat to the
CPM. The CPM identifies the topics and priorities for standard setting
from among the proposals submitted to the Secretariat and others that
may be raised by the CPM.
Step 3: Specifications for the standards identified as priorities
by the CPM are drafted by the Standards Committee. The draft
specifications are subsequently made available to members and RPPOs for
comment (60 days). Comments are submitted in writing to the
Secretariat. Taking into account the comments, the Standards Committee
finalizes the specifications.
Step 4: The standard is drafted or revised in accordance with the
specifications by a working group designated by the Standards
Committee. The resulting draft standard is submitted to the Standards
Committee for review.
Step 5: Draft standards approved by the Standards Committee are
distributed to members by the Secretariat and RPPOs for consultation
(100 days). Comments are submitted in writing to the Secretariat. Where
appropriate, the Standards Committee may establish open-ended
discussion groups as forums for further comment. The Secretariat
summarizes the comments and submits them to the Standards Committee.
Step 6: Taking into account the comments, the Secretariat, in
cooperation with the Standards Committee, revises the draft standard.
The Standards Committee submits the final version to the CPM for
adoption.
Step 7: The ISPM is established through formal adoption by the CPM
according to Rule X of the Rules of Procedure of the CPM.
Step 8: Review of the ISPM is completed by the specified date or
such other date as may be agreed upon by the CPM.
Each member country is represented on the CPM by a single delegate.
Although experts and advisors may accompany the delegate to meetings of
the CPM, only the delegate (or an authorized alternate) may represent
each member country in considering a standard up for approval. Parties
involved in a vote by the CPM are to make every effort to reach
agreement on all matters by consensus. Only after all efforts to reach
a consensus have been exhausted may a decision on a standard be passed
by a vote of two-thirds of delegates present and voting.
Technical experts from the United States have participated directly
in working groups and indirectly as reviewers of all IPPC draft
standards. The United States also has a representative on the Standards
Committee and the CPM Bureau. In addition, documents and positions
developed by APHIS and NAPPO have been sources of significant input for
many of the standards adopted to date. This notice describes each of
the IPPC standards currently under consideration or up for adoption.
The full text of each standard will be available on the Internet at
https://ocs.ippc.int/#. Interested individuals may review the
standards posted on this Web site and submit comments to
Julie.E.Aliaga@aphis.usda.gov.
The next CPM meeting is scheduled for April 8-12, 2013, at FAO
Headquarters in Rome, Italy. The Deputy Administrator for APHIS' PPQ
program is the U.S. delegate to the CPM. The Deputy Administrator
intends to participate in the proceedings and will discuss or comment
on APHIS' position on any standards up for adoption. The agenda for the
Fifth Session of the Commission of Phytosanitary Measures is as
follows:
1. Opening of the session.
2. Adoption of the agenda.
3. Election of the Rapporteur.
4. Report by the CPM chairperson.
5. Report by the Secretariat.
6. Report of the technical consultation among RPPOs.
7. Report of observer organizations.
8. Goal 1: A robust international standard-setting and
implementation program.
9. Goal 2: Information exchange systems appropriate to meet IPPC
obligations.
10. Goal 3: Effective dispute settlement systems.
11. Goal 4: Improved phytosanitary capacity of members.
12. Goal 5: Sustainable implementation of the IPPC.
13. Goal 6: International promotion of the IPPC and cooperation
with relevant regional and international organizations.
14. Goal 7: Review of the status of plant protection in the world.
15. Election of the Bureau.
16. Membership of CPM subsidiary bodies.
17. Calendar.
18. Other business.
19. Date and venue of the next meeting.
20. Adoption of the report.
It is expected that the following standards will be sufficiently
developed to be considered by the CPM for adoption at its 2013 meeting.
The United States, represented by the Deputy Administrator for APHIS'
PPQ program, will participate in consideration of these standards. The
U.S. position on each of these issues will be developed prior to the
CPM session and will be based on APHIS' analysis, information from
other U.S. Government agencies, and relevant scientific information
from interested stakeholders.
Revision of ISPM 11, Pest risk analysis for quarantine
pests and Annex to ISPM 11, Pest risk analysis for plants as quarantine
pests. The annex provides specific guidance for conducting pest risk
analysis to determine if a plant is a pest of plants (cultivated or
wild), whether it should be regulated, and to identify phytosanitary
measures to reduce pest risk to an acceptable level. The international
standard has been modified to harmonize concepts with its annex.
Annex 1 to ISPM 15: Approved treatments associated with
wood packaging material. The annex contains guidance for the use of
approved treatments for wood packaging material, including heat
treatments (conventional steam or dry kiln, and dielectric radiation)
and methyl bromide.
New Standard-Setting Initiatives, Including Those in Development
A number of expert working group meetings or other technical
[[Page 1830]]
consultations will take place during 2013 on the topics listed below.
These standard-setting initiatives are under development and may be
considered for future adoption. APHIS intends to participate actively
and fully in each of these working groups. The U.S. position on each of
the topics to be addressed by these various working groups will be
developed prior to these working group meetings and will be based on
APHIS' technical analysis, information from other U.S. Government
agencies, and relevant scientific information from interested
stakeholders.
1. Establishment and maintenance of fruit fly quarantine areas
within pest free areas in the event of an outbreak detection. This
draft is proposed as an Annex to ISPM 26, Establishment of pest free
areas for fruit flies (Tephritidae). It will provide guidance on the
establishment and maintenance of regulated areas within pest free areas
(PFA) when fruit fly outbreaks are detected. It will provide guidance
on phytosanitary measures which are intended to protect other
production areas and, as far as possible, will allow for the
continuation of fruit and vegetable production, movement and handling,
treatment, and shipping when some or all of the components of the
export process are located in the regulated areas within the PFA.
2. Determination of host status of fruits and vegetables to fruit
fly (Tephritidae) infestation. This standard will provide guidelines
for the determination of the host status of fruits and vegetables to
fruit fly infestation. It describes three categories of host status for
fruit flies: natural host, non-natural host, and non-host. It includes
methodologies for surveillance under natural field conditions and
trials under semi-natural field conditions that should be used to
ascertain the host status of fruits and vegetables to fruit fly
infestation where the knowledge of host status is uncertain or
disputed.
3. Appendix to ISPM 12: Electronic certification, information on
standard XML schemes and exchange mechanisms. This appendix contains
information and guidance to NPPOs to use the World Wide Web Consortium
(WC3) Extensible Markup Language (XML) as the standardized language for
exchange of electronic certificate data between NPPOs.
4. Annex to ISPM 27: Diagnostic Protocol for Tilletia indica. This
diagnostic protocol contains pest information, taxonomy, detection,
examination of seeds, extraction of teliospores, morphological
identification, germination, molecular identification, and a list of
references.
5. Annex to ISPM 27: Diagnostic Protocol for Guignardia citricarpa.
This diagnostic protocol contains pest information, taxonomy, symptoms,
identification procedures, isolation and culture, morphology, molecular
assays, and a list of references.
For more detailed information on the above topics, which will be
addressed by various working groups established by the CPM, contact Ms.
Julie E. Aliaga (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above).
APHIS posts draft standards on the Internet (https://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_exports/phyto_international_standards.shtml) as they become available and provides
information on the due dates for comments. Additional information on
IPPC standards is available on the IPPC Web site at https://www.ippc.int/IPP/En/default.htm. For the most current information on
official U.S. participation in IPPC activities, including U.S.
positions on standards being considered, contact Ms. Julie E. Aliaga
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above). Those wishing to provide
comments on any of the areas of work being undertaken by the IPPC may
do so at any time by responding to this notice (see ADDRESSES above) or
by providing comments through Ms. Aliaga.
NAPPO Standard-Setting Activities
NAPPO, a regional plant protection organization created in 1976
under the IPPC, coordinates the efforts among Canada, the United
States, and Mexico to protect their plant resources from the entry,
establishment, and spread of harmful plant pests, while facilitating
intra- and inter-regional trade. NAPPO conducts its business through
panels and annual meetings held among the three member countries. The
NAPPO Executive Committee charges individual panels with the
responsibility for drawing up proposals for NAPPO positions, policies,
and standards. These panels are made up of representatives from each
member country who have scientific expertise related to the policy or
standard being considered. Proposals drawn up by the individual panels
are circulated for review to Government and industry officials in
Canada, the United States, and Mexico, who may suggest revisions. In
the United States, draft standards are circulated to industry, States,
and various government agencies for consideration and comment. The
draft standards are posted on the Internet at https://www.nappo.org/en/.
Once revisions are made, the proposal is sent to the NAPPO Working
Group and the NAPPO Standards Panel for technical reviews, and then to
the Executive Committee for final approval, which is granted by
consensus.
The annual NAPPO meeting was held October 16 to 18, 2012, in
Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The NAPPO Executive Committee
meeting took place on October 15, 2012. The Deputy Administrator for
PPQ is a member of the NAPPO Executive Committee. The Deputy
Administrator participated in the proceedings to discuss or comment on
APHIS' position on any standard up for adoption or any proposals to
develop new standards.
Below is a summary of current panel assignments as they relate to
the ongoing development of NAPPO standards. The United States (i.e.,
USDA/APHIS) intends to participate actively and fully in the work of
each of these panels. The U.S. position on each topic will be guided
and informed by the best scientific information available on each of
these topics. For each of the following panels, the United States will
consider its position on any draft standard after it reviews a prepared
draft. Information regarding the following NAPPO panel topics,
assignments, activities, and updates on meeting times and locations may
be obtained from the NAPPO homepage at https://www.nappo.org or by
contacting Ms. Julie E. Aliaga (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
above).
1. Accreditation Panel
The panel will perform an audit of the U.S. NPPO's adherence to
Regional Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (RSPM) 9, ``Authorization
of laboratories for phytosanitary testing'' and review the audit
training program with a view to establishing a harmonized approach for
NAPPO countries.
2. Biological Control Panel
The panel has revised RSPM 26, ``Certification of commercial
arthropod biological control agents moving into NAPPO member
countries,'' reviewed the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) report on the
evaluation of risk of imported bee pollen and royal jelly on plant
health through the use of pollinators, and will determine research
needs and recommend mitigation measures.
3. Citrus Panel
The panel continues exchanging information on the situation of
citrus quarantine pests among NAPPO member countries, OIRSA, and other
Caribbean countries. The panel is revising and updating the appendices
for RSPM 16, ``Importation of Citrus
[[Page 1831]]
propagative material into a NAPPO member country''. The panel will
recommend measures for the establishment and maintenance of area wide
management programs for Huanglongbing (HLB) and its vector.
4. Electronic Phytosanitary Certification Panel
The panel continues participating in the international development
of electronic certification towards a functioning regional and global
e-certification capability; reviewing the consolidated IPPC XML Schema
and ISPM 12 mapping currently being developed by the IPPC; harmonizing
ISPM 12 code list for botanical names, treatments, additional
declarations and product descriptions; and advancing discussions of
methods for the transfer, security measures, and the validation of
electronic certification.
5. Forestry Panel
The panel completed the standard for regulating the movement of
wooden articles intended for indoor and outdoor use (``Importation of
certain wooden and bamboo commodities into a NAPPO member country'');
completed the drafting of a standard on the movement of Christmas trees
within the NAPPO region; is working on a discussion paper regarding the
applicability of the current standards for heat treatment for wood
products considering that certain pests such as the emerald ash borer
(EAB) have demonstrated a tolerance to treatments; has reviewed and
drafted a discussion paper reporting on the risks associated with fungi
moving on wood commodities; and directed a TAG to report advances on
additional research for the application of biological control of the
EAB. The panel is working on a document summarizing current approaches
used within North America to manage pests of firewood.
6. Fruit Panel
The panel has developed recommendations for technically justified
phytosanitary measures to mitigate the risk of introduction of Lobesia
botrana into NAPPO countries, including measures to deal with a
possible outbreak; has provided oversight to a TAG to compile and
analyze the available scientific information on appropriate
phytosanitary measures against Drosophila suzukii, evaluating and
determining which measures are appropriate for application by NAPPO
countries; and is completing the TAG documents on Rhagoletis and
Tetranychus trapping.
7. Grains Panel
The panel contributed to the organization (agenda and speakers) of
the IPPC workshop on the international movement of grain, in Vancouver,
Canada, in December 2011. Taking into account discussions at the IPPC
workshop, the panel identified relevant phytosanitary issues and
evaluated the need for a NAPPO standard on the movement of grain.
8. Invasive Species Panel
The panel finalized a pathway risk analysis standard with support
from the Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) panel; collaborated with the PRA
panel to review the scientific literature on climate change and
completed the discussion paper on its pertinence to the PRA process;
and identified the most important invasive plant species threats to
North America, which were presented at the NAPPO Annual Meeting
symposium in October 2012.
9. Pest Risk Analysis Panel
The panel completed the discussion paper on the potential for
climate change to affect the ability of pests to spread and establish
in new areas, including the implications for the current PRA process,
with assistance from the Invasive Species panel; reviewed and addressed
comments on the NAPPO Pest Risk Analysis standard (RSPM 31); completed
a discussion paper summarizing the risk associated with the movement of
wooden articles intended for indoor and outdoor use; and completed the
development of the PRA format including risk-ranking guidelines.
10. Phytosanitary Alert System (PAS) Panel
The panel prepared guidelines for the development of pest alerts
and a checklist of alert sources to ensure all available sources are
being utilized but not duplicated; coordinated outreach with other
related Web sites and linked them to the PAS Web site; conducted
outreach activities for possible collaboration between NAPPO, OIRSA,
and other NPPOs in Central America on pest alerts; and posted new pest
reports and alerts to the NAPPO PAS Web site.
11. Plants for Planting
The panel reviewed the need to maintain RSPM 24, ``Integrated pest
risk management measures for the importation of plants for planting
into NAPPO member countries'' after the IPPC standard on the same
subject was adopted; completed the pest list annexes for RSPM 35,
``Guidelines for the Movement of Stone and Pome Fruit Trees and
Grapevines into a NAPPO Member Country;'' and organized the Plants for
Planting Symposium for the 2012 Annual Meeting, focusing on regulatory
strategies for the nursery industry (including greenhouses).
12. Potato Panel
The panel developed a NAPPO discussion paper on the efficacy of
potato sprout inhibitors, gathered the most recent information potato
virus Y and identified the strains of concern to the NAPPO region based
on biological and economic factors, and completed the review of RSPM 3,
``Requirements for the importation of potatoes.'' The panel
investigated the potential phytosanitary issues related to zebra chip.
13. Seeds Panel
The panel is working to complete the NAPPO regional standard on
seed movement, an appendix on pathogens considered to be seedborne and
seed-transmitted pests, and the annexes covering phytosanitary import
requirements, recommended seed testing and diagnostic methods for most
important seed pests, and recommended seed treatments for quarantine
seed pests. The panel continues to support efforts in the development
of an international standard for seed.
14. Standards Panel
The panel coordinated the review of new and amended NAPPO
standards, diagnostic and treatment protocols, and implementation
plans; provided updates on NAPPO standards and ISPMs for the NAPPO
Newsletter; maintained the NAPPO Glossary; and is developing a
regulatory response upon detection of new pests in NAPPO to avoid
bilateral irritants.
15. Tuta absoluta Technical Advisory Group
This TAG has developed a surveillance protocol for the tomato leaf
miner, Tuta absoluta for NAPPO countries which includes a system for
early detection, trapping criteria, a system for delimiting surveys,
and recommended phytosanitary measures when detections are made.
The PPQ Associate Deputy Administrator, as the official U.S.
delegate to NAPPO, intends to participate in the adoption of these
regional plant health standards, including the work described above,
once they are completed and ready for such consideration.
The information in this notice contains all the information
available to us on NAPPO standards currently under
[[Page 1832]]
development or consideration. For updates on meeting times and for
information on the working panels that may become available following
publication of this notice, go to the NAPPO Web site on the Internet at
https://www.nappo.org or contact Ms. Julie Aliaga (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT above). Information on official U.S. participation
in NAPPO activities, including U.S. positions on standards being
considered, may also be obtained from Ms. Aliaga. Those wishing to
provide comments on any of the topics being addressed by any of the
NAPPO panels may do so at any time by responding to this notice (see
ADDRESSES above) or by transmitting comments through Ms. Aliaga.
Done in Washington, DC, this 2nd day of January, 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-00207 Filed 1-8-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P