Addition of the Philippines to the List of Regions Affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, 2422-2423 [2018-00696]
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Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 83, No. 11
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket No. AMS–LPS–17–0046]
United States Standards for Grades of
Pork Carcasses
Agricultural Marketing Service,
USDA .
ACTION: Notice; reopening of comment
period.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural
Marketing Service (AMS) is reopening
the comment period on the notice
requesting comments on revisions to the
United States Standards for Grades of
Pork Carcasses (pork standards)
published in the Federal Register (82
FR 48971) on October 23, 2017. The
comment period for this notice closed
on December 22, 2017. The revisions are
intended to modernize the standards
and meet stakeholder demands by
segregating the population of
commodity pork products into uniform
groups (of similar quality, value, etc.)
that can facilitate the production and
marketing of pork and deliver certain
eating expectations for the consumer.
DATES: Comments on the notice
published in the Federal Register (82
FR 48971) on October 23, 2017, must be
received by March 19, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit comments
electronically at https://
www.regulations.gov. Written comments
should be sent to: Pork Carcass
Revisions, Standardization Branch,
Quality Assessment Division; Livestock,
Poultry, and Seed Program, AMS,
USDA; 1400 Independence Ave. SW,
Room 3932–S, STOP 0258, Washington,
DC 20250–0258. Comments may also be
emailed to porkcarcassrevisions@
ams.usda.gov. All comments should
reference docket number AMS–LPS–17–
0046, the date of submission, the page
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numbers of this issue, and the October
23, 2017, issue of the Federal Register.
All comments received will be posted
without change, including any personal
information provided, and they will be
made available for public inspection at
the above physical address during
regular business hours.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bucky Gwartney, International
Marketing Specialist, Standardization
Branch, Quality Assessment Division,
Livestock, Poultry, and Seed Program,
AMS, USDA; 1400 Independence
Avenue SW, Room 3932–S, STOP 0258,
Washington, DC 20250–0258; phone
(202) 720–1424; or via email at
Bucky.Gwartney@ams.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A notice
was published in the Federal Register
(82 FR 48971) on October 23, 2017,
requesting comments on revisions to the
pork standards. The 60-day comment
period provided in the notice closed on
December 22, 2017. Trade organizations
submitted comments requesting a 60day extension to enable industry
stakeholders more time to evaluate the
proposed changes and to submit
comments. Therefore, AMS is reopening
the comment period for the notice until
March 19, 2018. AMS is reopening the
public comment period to ensure that
interested persons have sufficient time
to review and comment on the notice.
Dated: January 10, 2018.
Bruce Summers,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing
Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–00627 Filed 1–16–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–02–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2017–0090]
Addition of the Philippines to the List
of Regions Affected by Highly
Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
We are advising the public
that we are adding the Philippines to
the list of regions that the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service
considers to be affected by highly
SUMMARY:
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pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). This
action follows our imposition of HPAIrelated restrictions on avian
commodities originating from or
transiting the Philippines as a result of
the confirmation of HPAI in the
Philippines.
DATES: The Philippines was added to
the list of regions under temporary
restrictions on August 16, 2017. The
Philippines is added to the list of
regions considered to be affected by
HPAI as of January 17, 2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Ingrid Kotowski, Regionalization
Evaluation Services, National Import
Export Services, VS, APHIS, 920 Main
Campus Drive Suite 200, Raleigh, NC,
27606; (919) 855–7732;
Ingrid.Kotowski@aphis.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred to
below as the regulations) govern the
importation of certain animals and
animal products into the United States
to prevent the introduction of various
animal diseases, including Newcastle
disease and highly pathogenic avian
influenza (HPAI). The regulations
prohibit or restrict the importation of
live poultry, poultry meat, and other
poultry products from regions where
these diseases are considered to exist.
Section 94.6 of part 94 of the
regulations contains requirements
governing the importation into the
United States of carcasses, meat, parts or
products of carcasses, and eggs (other
than hatching eggs) of poultry, game
birds, or other birds from regions of the
world where HPAI exists or is
reasonably believed to exist. HPAI is an
extremely infectious and potentially
fatal form of avian influenza in birds
and poultry that, once established, can
spread rapidly from flock to flock. A list
of regions that the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
considers affected with HPAI of any
subtype is maintained on the APHIS
website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/
aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animaland-animal-product-importinformation/ct-animal-disease-status.
APHIS receives notice of HPAI
outbreaks from veterinary officials of the
exporting country, from the World
Organization for Animal Health (OIE),
or from other sources the Administrator
determines to be reliable. On August 11,
2017, the veterinary authorities of the
Philippines reported to the OIE that
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17JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 17, 2018 / Notices
HPAI occurrence in that country was
confirmed on August 7, 2017.
Subsequent to that report, and after
confirming that the HPAI occurred in
commercial birds or poultry, APHIS
placed restrictions on the importation of
poultry, commercial birds, other types
of birds (research, performing), ratites,
any avian hatching eggs, unprocessed
avian products and byproducts, and
certain fresh poultry products from the
Philippines to mitigate risk of HPAI
introduction into the United States.
Those restrictions went into effect on
August 7, 2017, the reported date of
confirmation of the HPAI occurrence in
the Philippines. With the publication of
this notice, we are adding the
Philippines to the list of regions APHIS
considers affected with HPAI of any
subtype.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 7701–7772, 7781–
7786, and 8301–8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 and
136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and
371.4.
Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of
January 2018.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–00696 Filed 1–16–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2017–0106]
Notice of Request for Revision to and
Extension of Approval of an
Information Collection; Specimen
Submission
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Revision to and extension of
approval of an information collection;
comment request.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service’s intention to
request a revision to and extension of
approval of an information collection
associated with livestock disease
surveillance programs.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before March 19,
2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/#!
docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0106.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
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APHIS–2017–0106, 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-2017-0106 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) 7997039
before coming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
information regarding livestock disease
surveillance programs, contact Ms. Lori
Anderson, Chief of Staff, STAS, VS,
APHIS, 1920 Dayton Ave., Ames, IA
50010; (515) 337–7405. For copies of
more detailed information on the
information collection, contact Ms.
Kimberly Hardy, APHIS’ Information
Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851–
2483.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Specimen Submission.
OMB Control Number: 0579–0090.
Type of Request: Revision to and
extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: The Animal Health
Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.)
provides the Secretary of Agriculture
broad authority to prohibit or restrict,
through orders and regulations, the
importation or entry and interstate
movement of any animal, article, or
means of conveyance if the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
determines that the prohibition or
restriction is necessary to prevent the
introduction or spread of any pest or
disease of livestock within the United
States.
Disease prevention is the most
effective method for maintaining a
healthy animal population and for
enhancing the United States’ ability to
globally compete in the trade of animals
and animal products. However, animal
disease prevention cannot be
accomplished without the existence of
an effective disease surveillance
program, which is conducted by the
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary
Services (VS).
The animal disease surveillance
program is based on information
submitted on the Specimen Submission
form and the continuation sheets, as
well as equivalent sources. VS forms are
critical to VS’ mission. They are
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routinely used whenever specimens
(such as blood, milk, tissue, or urine)
from any animal (such as cattle, swine,
sheep, goats, horses, and poultry) are
submitted to the National Veterinary
Services Laboratories for disease testing.
If the information was not collected or
collected less frequently, APHIS would
not have the critical information
necessary to effectively operate a
disease surveillance program and
identify the animals and herds from
which the specimens were taken,
allowing effective disease prevention
and eradication.
An additional form that APHIS uses is
the Parasite Submission form. This form
is used by the Cattle Fever Tick
Eradication Program and the National
Tick Surveillance Program to identify
the individuals submitting tick samples
and the animal sources of those
samples.
We are asking the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) to
approve our use of these information
collection activities, as described, for an
additional 3 years.
The purpose of this notice is to solicit
comments from the public (as well as
affected agencies) concerning our
information collection. APHIS needs
this outside input to help accomplish
the following:
(1) Evaluate whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our
estimate of the burden of the collection
of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
(4) Minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, (such as through the use
of appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques, e.g., permitting
electronic submission of responses.)
Estimate of Burden: The public
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 0.31 hours per
response.
Respondents: State veterinarians and
other State personnel who are qualified
and authorized to collect and submit
specimens for laboratory analysis,
accredited veterinarians, private
veterinarians, animal health
technicians, herd owners, private
laboratories, and research institutions.
Estimated Annual Number of
Respondents: 1,773.
Estimated Annual Number of
Responses per Respondent: 15.
E:\FR\FM\17JAN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 17, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2422-2423]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00696]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0090]
Addition of the Philippines to the List of Regions Affected by
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we are adding the Philippines
to the list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service considers to be affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza
(HPAI). This action follows our imposition of HPAI-related restrictions
on avian commodities originating from or transiting the Philippines as
a result of the confirmation of HPAI in the Philippines.
DATES: The Philippines was added to the list of regions under temporary
restrictions on August 16, 2017. The Philippines is added to the list
of regions considered to be affected by HPAI as of January 17, 2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ingrid Kotowski, Regionalization
Evaluation Services, National Import Export Services, VS, APHIS, 920
Main Campus Drive Suite 200, Raleigh, NC, 27606; (919) 855-7732;
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred
to below as the regulations) govern the importation of certain animals
and animal products into the United States to prevent the introduction
of various animal diseases, including Newcastle disease and highly
pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The regulations prohibit or restrict
the importation of live poultry, poultry meat, and other poultry
products from regions where these diseases are considered to exist.
Section 94.6 of part 94 of the regulations contains requirements
governing the importation into the United States of carcasses, meat,
parts or products of carcasses, and eggs (other than hatching eggs) of
poultry, game birds, or other birds from regions of the world where
HPAI exists or is reasonably believed to exist. HPAI is an extremely
infectious and potentially fatal form of avian influenza in birds and
poultry that, once established, can spread rapidly from flock to flock.
A list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) considers affected with HPAI of any subtype is maintained on
the APHIS website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/ct-animal-disease-status.
APHIS receives notice of HPAI outbreaks from veterinary officials
of the exporting country, from the World Organization for Animal Health
(OIE), or from other sources the Administrator determines to be
reliable. On August 11, 2017, the veterinary authorities of the
Philippines reported to the OIE that
[[Page 2423]]
HPAI occurrence in that country was confirmed on August 7, 2017.
Subsequent to that report, and after confirming that the HPAI occurred
in commercial birds or poultry, APHIS placed restrictions on the
importation of poultry, commercial birds, other types of birds
(research, performing), ratites, any avian hatching eggs, unprocessed
avian products and byproducts, and certain fresh poultry products from
the Philippines to mitigate risk of HPAI introduction into the United
States. Those restrictions went into effect on August 7, 2017, the
reported date of confirmation of the HPAI occurrence in the
Philippines. With the publication of this notice, we are adding the
Philippines to the list of regions APHIS considers affected with HPAI
of any subtype.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 7701-7772, 7781-7786, and 8301-8317; 21
U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.
Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of January 2018.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-00696 Filed 1-16-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
