Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk Analysis for the Importation of Fresh Carrots From the Republic of Korea Into the United States, 61005-61006 [2019-24535]
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61005
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 84, No. 218
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
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
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2018–0087]
Concurrence With OIE Risk
Designations for Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
We are advising the public of
our decision to concur with the World
Organization for Animal Health’s (OIE)
bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE) risk designations for Nicaragua.
The OIE recognizes this region as being
of negligible risk for BSE. We are taking
this action based on our review of
information supporting the OIE’s risk
designations for this region.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Kari Coulson, Senior Staff Veterinarian,
Strategy and Policy, VS, APHIS, 920
Main Campus Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh,
NC 27606; (919) 855–7741; email:
kari.f.coulson@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
regulations in 9 CFR part 92 subpart B,
‘‘Importation of Animals and Animal
Products; Procedures for Requesting
BSE Risk Status Classification With
Regard To Bovines’’ (referred to below
as the regulations), set forth the process
by which the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) classifies
regions for bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE) risk. Section 92.5
of the regulations provides that all
countries of the world are considered by
APHIS to be in one of three BSE risk
categories: Negligible risk, controlled
risk, or undetermined risk. These risk
categories are defined in § 92.1. Any
region that is not classified by APHIS as
presenting either negligible risk or
controlled risk for BSE is considered to
present an undetermined risk. The list
SUMMARY:
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of those regions classified by APHIS as
having either negligible risk or
controlled risk can be accessed on the
APHIS website at https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/
animalhealth/animal-and-animalproduct-import-information/animalhealth-status-of-regions. The list can
also be obtained by writing to APHIS at
Regionalization Evaluation Services,
4700 River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, MD
20737.
Under the regulations, APHIS may
classify a region for BSE in one of two
ways. One way is for regions that have
not received a risk classification from
the World Organization for Animal
Health (OIE) to request classification by
APHIS. The other way is for APHIS to
concur with the classification given to a
country or region by the OIE.
If the OIE has recognized a country as
either BSE negligible risk or BSE
controlled risk, APHIS will seek
information to support our concurrence
with the OIE classification. This
information may be publicly available
information, or APHIS may request that
countries supply the same information
given to the OIE. APHIS will announce
in the Federal Register, subject to
public comment, its intent to concur
with an OIE classification.
In accordance with that process, we
published a notice1 in the Federal
Register on June 17, 2019 (84 FR 28001,
Docket No. APHIS–2018–0087), in
which we announced our intent to
concur with the OIE recognition of
Nicaragua as being a region of negligible
risk for BSE. We solicited comments on
the notice for 60 days ending on August
16, 2019. We received one comment by
that date, from a private citizen.
The commenter voiced doubts about
the efficacy of the BSE minimal risk
region policy, concerns about other
prion diseases such as chronic wasting
disease circulating in the United States
and the world, and skepticism that the
ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban has been
effectively enforced. The commenter did
not, however, address our preliminary
concurrence with the OIE’s risk
designation for Nicaragua or the
documentation made available to
support that action.
Therefore, in accordance with the
regulations in § 92.5, we are announcing
our decision to concur with the OIE risk
1 To view the comment we received, go to https://
www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2018-0087.
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Fmt 4703
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classification of Nicaragua as a region of
negligible risk for BSE.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622 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 4th day of
November 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–24455 Filed 11–8–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2019–0062]
Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk
Analysis for the Importation of Fresh
Carrots From the Republic of Korea
Into the United States
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
We are advising the public
that we have prepared a pest risk
analysis that evaluates the risks
associated with importation of fresh
carrots from the Republic of Korea into
the United States. Based on the analysis,
we have determined that the application
of one or more phytosanitary measures
will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of
introducing or disseminating plant pests
or noxious weeds via the importation of
fresh carrots from the Republic of Korea.
We are making the pest risk analysis
available to the public for review and
comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before January 13,
2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2019-0062.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
APHIS–2019–0062, 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/
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\12NON1.SGM
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61006
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 12, 2019 / Notices
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2019-0062 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: Ms.
Carol Kreger, Regulatory Policy
Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and
Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River
Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737;
(301) 851–2356.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
regulations in ‘‘Subpart L—Fruits and
Vegetables’’ (7 CFR 319.56–1 through
319.56–12, referred to below as the
regulations), the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
prohibits or restricts the importation of
fruits and vegetables into the United
States from certain parts of the world to
prevent plant pests from being
introduced into or disseminated within
the United States.
Section 319.56–4 contains a
performance-based process for
approving the importation of certain
fruits and vegetables that, based on the
findings of a pest risk analysis, can be
safely imported subject to one or more
of the five designated phytosanitary
measures listed in paragraph (b) of that
section.
APHIS received a request from the
national plant protection organization
(NPPO) of the Republic of Korea to
allow the importation of fresh carrots
into the United States. As part of our
evaluation of the Republic of Korea’s
request, we have prepared a pest risk
assessment (PRA) to identify pests of
quarantine significance that could
follow the pathway of importation of
fresh carrots into the United States from
the Republic of Korea. The PRA
identifies two quarantine pests that
could follow the pathway:
Helicobasidium mompa and Sclerotinia
nivalis, both phytopathogenic fungi.
Based on the PRA, we prepared a risk
management document (RMD) to
identify phytosanitary measures that
could be applied to the fresh carrots to
mitigate the pest risk.
We have concluded that fresh carrots
can be safely imported from the
Republic of Korea into the United States
using one or more of the five designated
phytosanitary measures listed in
§ 319.56–4(b). The NPPO of the
Republic of Korea would have to enter
into an operational workplan with
APHIS that spells out the daily
procedures the NPPO will take to
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17:47 Nov 08, 2019
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implement the measures identified in
the RMD. These measures are
summarized below:
• Carrots must be commercially
produced and may be imported in
commercial consignments only.
• Carrots must be grown in places of
production registered and packed in
packinghouses registered by the NPPO
of the Republic of Korea as part of an
export program to the United States.
• The NPPO of the Republic of Korea
must review and maintain all forms and
documents related to export program
activities in registered places of
production and packinghouses for at
least 1 year and make them available to
APHIS upon request.
• If the NPPO of the Republic of
Korea finds that a place of production
or packinghouse is not complying with
the requirements of the systems
approach, no carrot from the place of
production or packinghouse will be
eligible for export to the United States
until APHIS and the NPPO of the
Republic of Korea conduct an
investigation and appropriate remedial
actions have been implemented.
• Carrots must originate from a place
of production that was inspected for
signs of fungi of quarantine concern
prior to harvest and found free of
disease symptoms or must be treated
with a broad-spectrum fungicide during
the growing season, inspected prior to
harvest, and found free of fungi of
quarantine concern.
• Carrot taproots must be washed and
disinfected, and free of soil and green
tops.
• A biometric sample of carrot
taproots (jointly agreed upon by APHIS
and the NPPO) must be inspected in the
Republic of Korea by the NPPO of the
Republic of Korea following any postharvest processing. The biometric
sample must be visually inspected for
the quarantine pests Helicobasidium
mompa and Sclerotinia nivalis. If any
quarantine fungi is found, the entire lot
of carrots is prohibited from import into
the United States. APHIS may prohibit
the importation into the United States of
carrots from the places of production for
the season.
• Each consignment of carrots must
be accompanied by a phytosanitary
certificate issued by the NPPO of the
Republic of Korea with an additional
declaration (AD) stating that the
consignment was produced and
prepared for export in accordance with
the operational workplan, and inspected
and found free of pests of quarantine
concern.
• Carrots are subject to inspection at
the port of entry into the United States.
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
• Carrots presented for inspection at
the port of entry to the United States
must be identified to specify the place
of production in which the carrots were
produced, and the packinghouse(s), in
which the carrots were processed and
packed. This identification must be
maintained until the carrots are released
from the port of first arrival into the
United States.
Each of the pest risk mitigation
measures that would be required, along
with evidence of their efficacy in
removing pests of concern from the
pathway, are described in detail in the
RMD.
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 319.56–4(c)(3), we are announcing the
availability of our PRA and RMD for
public review and comment. Those
documents, as well as a description of
the economic considerations associated
with the importation of fresh carrots
from the Republic of Korea, may be
viewed on the Regulations.gov website
or in our reading room (see ADDRESSES
above for a link to Regulations.gov and
information on the location and hours of
the reading room). You may request
paper copies of these documents by
calling or writing to the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT. Please refer to the subject of
the analysis you wish to review when
requesting copies.
After reviewing any comments we
receive, we will announce our decision
regarding the import status of fresh
carrots from the Republic of Korea in a
subsequent notice. If the overall
conclusions of our analysis and the
Administrator’s determination of risk
remain unchanged following our
consideration of the comments, then we
will authorize the importation of fresh
carrots from the Republic of Korea into
the United States subject to the
requirements specified in the RMD.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 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 4th day of
November 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–24535 Filed 11–8–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
E:\FR\FM\12NON1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61005-61006]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24535]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2019-0062]
Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk Analysis for the
Importation of Fresh Carrots From the Republic of Korea Into the United
States
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have prepared a pest risk
analysis that evaluates the risks associated with importation of fresh
carrots from the Republic of Korea into the United States. Based on the
analysis, we have determined that the application of one or more
phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of
introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the
importation of fresh carrots from the Republic of Korea. We are making
the pest risk analysis available to the public for review and comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
January 13, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2019-0062.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2019-0062, 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/
[[Page 61006]]
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2019-0062 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: Ms. Carol Kreger, Regulatory Policy
Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700
River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-2356.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the regulations in ``Subpart L--Fruits
and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 319.56-1 through 319.56-12, referred to below
as the regulations), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) prohibits or restricts the importation of fruits and vegetables
into the United States from certain parts of the world to prevent plant
pests from being introduced into or disseminated within the United
States.
Section 319.56-4 contains a performance-based process for approving
the importation of certain fruits and vegetables that, based on the
findings of a pest risk analysis, can be safely imported subject to one
or more of the five designated phytosanitary measures listed in
paragraph (b) of that section.
APHIS received a request from the national plant protection
organization (NPPO) of the Republic of Korea to allow the importation
of fresh carrots into the United States. As part of our evaluation of
the Republic of Korea's request, we have prepared a pest risk
assessment (PRA) to identify pests of quarantine significance that
could follow the pathway of importation of fresh carrots into the
United States from the Republic of Korea. The PRA identifies two
quarantine pests that could follow the pathway: Helicobasidium mompa
and Sclerotinia nivalis, both phytopathogenic fungi. Based on the PRA,
we prepared a risk management document (RMD) to identify phytosanitary
measures that could be applied to the fresh carrots to mitigate the
pest risk.
We have concluded that fresh carrots can be safely imported from
the Republic of Korea into the United States using one or more of the
five designated phytosanitary measures listed in Sec. 319.56-4(b). The
NPPO of the Republic of Korea would have to enter into an operational
workplan with APHIS that spells out the daily procedures the NPPO will
take to implement the measures identified in the RMD. These measures
are summarized below:
Carrots must be commercially produced and may be imported
in commercial consignments only.
Carrots must be grown in places of production registered
and packed in packinghouses registered by the NPPO of the Republic of
Korea as part of an export program to the United States.
The NPPO of the Republic of Korea must review and maintain
all forms and documents related to export program activities in
registered places of production and packinghouses for at least 1 year
and make them available to APHIS upon request.
If the NPPO of the Republic of Korea finds that a place of
production or packinghouse is not complying with the requirements of
the systems approach, no carrot from the place of production or
packinghouse will be eligible for export to the United States until
APHIS and the NPPO of the Republic of Korea conduct an investigation
and appropriate remedial actions have been implemented.
Carrots must originate from a place of production that was
inspected for signs of fungi of quarantine concern prior to harvest and
found free of disease symptoms or must be treated with a broad-spectrum
fungicide during the growing season, inspected prior to harvest, and
found free of fungi of quarantine concern.
Carrot taproots must be washed and disinfected, and free
of soil and green tops.
A biometric sample of carrot taproots (jointly agreed upon
by APHIS and the NPPO) must be inspected in the Republic of Korea by
the NPPO of the Republic of Korea following any post-harvest
processing. The biometric sample must be visually inspected for the
quarantine pests Helicobasidium mompa and Sclerotinia nivalis. If any
quarantine fungi is found, the entire lot of carrots is prohibited from
import into the United States. APHIS may prohibit the importation into
the United States of carrots from the places of production for the
season.
Each consignment of carrots must be accompanied by a
phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO of the Republic of Korea
with an additional declaration (AD) stating that the consignment was
produced and prepared for export in accordance with the operational
workplan, and inspected and found free of pests of quarantine concern.
Carrots are subject to inspection at the port of entry
into the United States.
Carrots presented for inspection at the port of entry to
the United States must be identified to specify the place of production
in which the carrots were produced, and the packinghouse(s), in which
the carrots were processed and packed. This identification must be
maintained until the carrots are released from the port of first
arrival into the United States.
Each of the pest risk mitigation measures that would be required,
along with evidence of their efficacy in removing pests of concern from
the pathway, are described in detail in the RMD.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 319.56-4(c)(3), we are
announcing the availability of our PRA and RMD for public review and
comment. Those documents, as well as a description of the economic
considerations associated with the importation of fresh carrots from
the Republic of Korea, may be viewed on the Regulations.gov website or
in our reading room (see ADDRESSES above for a link to Regulations.gov
and information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may
request paper copies of these documents by calling or writing to the
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to
the subject of the analysis you wish to review when requesting copies.
After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our
decision regarding the import status of fresh carrots from the Republic
of Korea in a subsequent notice. If the overall conclusions of our
analysis and the Administrator's determination of risk remain unchanged
following our consideration of the comments, then we will authorize the
importation of fresh carrots from the Republic of Korea into the United
States subject to the requirements specified in the RMD.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 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 4th day of November 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-24535 Filed 11-8-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
