Concurrence With World Organization for Animal Health's Risk Designation for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy for Ireland, 60641-60642 [2022-21729]

Download as PDF 60641 Notices Federal Register Vol. 87, No. 193 Thursday, October 6, 2022 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–2022–0005] Concurrence With World Organization for Animal Health’s Risk Designation for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy for Ireland Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Department of Agriculture (USDA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: We are advising the public of our decision to concur with the World Organization for Animal Health’s (WOAH’s) bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) risk designation for Ireland. The WOAH recognizes Ireland as being of negligible risk for BSE. We are taking this action based on our review of information supporting the WOAH’s risk designation for Ireland. SUMMARY: Dr. Rebecca Gordon, Senior Staff Officer, Regionalization Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27606; (919) 855–7741; email: AskRegionalization@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 lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:46 Oct 05, 2022 Jkt 259001 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 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, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737– 1238. 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 (WOAH) 1 to request classification by APHIS. The other way is for APHIS to concur with the classification given to a country or region by the WOAH. If the WOAH has classified a region as either BSE negligible risk or BSE controlled risk, APHIS will seek information to support concurrence with the WOAH classification. This information may be publicly available information, or APHIS may request that regions supply the same information given to the WOAH. APHIS will announce in the Federal Register, subject to public comment, its intent to concur with a WOAH classification. In accordance with this process, we published a notice 2 in the Federal Register on April 14, 2022 (87 FR 22168- 22169, Docket No. APHIS–2022– 0005), in which we announced our intent to concur with the WOAH risk classification of Ireland as being a region of negligible risk for BSE. We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending on June 13, 2022. We received one comment by that date, from a private citizen. The commenter claimed that we provided no evidence to support that BSE levels in Ireland’s cattle population approach zero. 1 On May 28, 2022, the World Organization for Animal Health announced a change to its acronym from OIE to WOAH to match its full name. See https://www.woah.org/en/the-world-organisationfor-animal-health-launches-its-refreshed-brandidentity/. 2 To view the notice, go to www.regulations.gov and enter APHIS–2022–0005 in the Search field. PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Neither the notice nor the conclusions of the WOAH referenced in the notice claimed that BSE cases in Ireland approach zero. Rather, the WOAH classified Ireland as BSE negligible risk. While negligible risk indicates that the occurrence of BSE is very rare, it does not translate to zero risk, nor does it imply the expectation or assumption that the risk will become zero in the future. Atypical BSE may still be detected in countries or regions with a negligible risk status. The atypical BSE forms, L-type and H-type, occur spontaneously at very low levels in all cattle populations. The commenter also stated that relying on slaughterhouses/abattoirs to find cases of BSE is an unreliable surveillance method. Because there is currently no test to detect BSE in a live animal, sampling for BSE is often performed in the slaughterhouse/abattoir environment. It may also be performed at rendering or salvage facilities, on-farm, at veterinary clinics, or at veterinary diagnostic laboratories. Ireland provided documentation for the standard operating procedures for active surveillance for BSE in cattle and documented that the samples collected are representative of the cattle population in the country. Furthermore, Ireland provided documentation that BSE surveillance exceeded Type B surveillance minimum requirements in Chapter 11.4 of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code. As the commenter provided no information to support the claim that this surveillance is unreliable, we continue to concur with the WOAH risk classification of Ireland as being a region of negligible risk for BSE. The commenter also claimed that laboratories in general lack the skills necessary to detect BSE. All BSE confirmatory testing in Ireland is carried out in the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Backweston, which is the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in Ireland. The confirmatory tests used are histopathology, immunohistochemistry using antibody F89, and immunoblot (Biorad TeSeE). All confirmatory and discriminatory tests used are accredited to the international standard for laboratories (IS0–17025). All rapid E:\FR\FM\06OCN1.SGM 06OCN1 60642 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 193 / Thursday, October 6, 2022 / Notices screening for BSE is conducted with European Union-approved rapid tests at Rapid Test Laboratories that are approved and monitored by the NRL. Ireland provided documentation that BSE diagnostic procedures and the reference laboratory facilities (NRL and Rapid Test Laboratories) meet the requirements in the WOAH Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals. As the commenter provided no information to support the claim that these laboratories or tests are unable to accurately detect BSE, we continue to concur with the WOAH risk classification of Ireland as being a region of negligible risk for BSE. Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in § 92.5, we are announcing our decision to concur with the WOAH risk classification for Ireland. Congressional Review Act Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this action as not a major rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2). 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 30th day of September 2022. Anthony Shea, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2022–21729 Filed 10–5–22; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Census Bureau Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey Census Bureau, Commerce. Notice of information collection, request for comment. AGENCY: ACTION: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public’s reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment on the proposed extension of the Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey, lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:46 Oct 05, 2022 Jkt 259001 prior to the submission of the information collection request (ICR) to OMB for approval. DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed information collection must be received on or before December 5, 2022. ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by email to Thomas.J.Smith@census.gov. Please reference Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey in the subject line of your comments. You may also submit comments, identified by Docket Number USBC–2022–0016, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. All comments received are part of the public record. No comments will be posted to https:// www.regulations.gov for public viewing until after the comment period has closed. Comments will generally be posted without change. All Personally Identifiable Information (for example, name and address) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. You may submit attachments to electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or specific questions related to collection activities should be directed to Rebecca Weaver, Chief, Wholesale Indicator Branch, Economic Indicators Division, 301–763–9538, rebecca.l.weaver@ census.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Abstract The Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey (MWTS) provides measures of monthly sales, end-of-month inventories, and inventories/sales ratios in the United States by selected kinds of business for merchant wholesalers, excluding manufacturers’ sales branches and offices. Estimates from the MWTS are released in three different reports each month. High level aggregate estimates for end-of-month inventories are first released as part of the Advance Economic Indicators Report approximately 27 days after the close of the reference month. The full Monthly Wholesale Trade Report containing both sales and inventories estimates is released approximately 39 days after the close of the reference month. Sales and inventories estimates from the MWTS are also released as part of the Manufacturing and Trade Inventories and Sales (MTIS) report issued approximately 45 days after the close of PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 the reference month. The Bureau of Economic Analysis uses this information to improve the inventory valuation adjustments applied to estimates of the Gross Domestic Product. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) uses the data as input to develop Producer Price Indexes and productivity measurements. The MWTS sales estimates are also used as an input in the Monthly Real Dollar Estimates of Wholesale Sales experimental product, first published on September 19, 2022, which is a supplement to the MWTS report. The estimates were created from the nominal MWTS sales series using product weights developed from existing Census Bureau data releases and price indexes from the BLS. Within the report, real dollar sales estimates and corresponding residuals are available for Total Merchant Wholesalers, except Manufacturers’ Sales Branches and Offices, as well as the two 3-digit and eighteen 4-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) wholesale subsectors. Monthly estimates are available from January 2012 forward. Estimates produced from the MWTS are based on a probability sample and are published on the NAICS basis. The sample design consists of small, medium, and large cases requested to report sales and inventories each month. The sample, consisting of about 4,200 wholesale businesses, is drawn from the Business Register, which contains all Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) and listed establishment locations. The sample is updated quarterly to reflect employer business ‘‘births’’ and ‘‘deaths’’. New employer businesses identified in the Business and Professional Classification Survey are added and employer businesses determined to be no longer active are removed. II. Method of Collection Respondents are initially contacted primarily by email, with a small subset receiving a form by mail. After initial contact, non-respondents are contacted by email and/or telephone follow-up. We collect the data primarily by internet. We collect a small portion of the data by mail, telephone follow-up, and fax. III. Data OMB Control Number: 0607–0190. Form Number(s): SM4217–A and SM4217–E. Type of Review: Regular submission. Request for an Extension, without Change, of a Currently Approved Collection. E:\FR\FM\06OCN1.SGM 06OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 193 (Thursday, October 6, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60641-60642]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-21729]


========================================================================
Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

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.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 193 / Thursday, October 6, 2022 / 
Notices

[[Page 60641]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2022-0005]


Concurrence With World Organization for Animal Health's Risk 
Designation for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy for Ireland

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Department of 
Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are advising the public of our decision to concur with the 
World Organization for Animal Health's (WOAH's) bovine spongiform 
encephalopathy (BSE) risk designation for Ireland. The WOAH recognizes 
Ireland as being of negligible risk for BSE. We are taking this action 
based on our review of information supporting the WOAH's risk 
designation for Ireland.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Rebecca Gordon, Senior Staff 
Officer, Regionalization Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, 
APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27606; (919) 855-7741; 
email: [email protected].

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 Sec.  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 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-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions. The list can also be 
obtained by writing to APHIS at Regionalization Evaluation Services, 
Veterinary Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1238.
    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 (WOAH) \1\ 
to request classification by APHIS. The other way is for APHIS to 
concur with the classification given to a country or region by the 
WOAH.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ On May 28, 2022, the World Organization for Animal Health 
announced a change to its acronym from OIE to WOAH to match its full 
name. See https://www.woah.org/en/the-world-organisation-for-animal-health-launches-its-refreshed-brand-identity/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    If the WOAH has classified a region as either BSE negligible risk 
or BSE controlled risk, APHIS will seek information to support 
concurrence with the WOAH classification. This information may be 
publicly available information, or APHIS may request that regions 
supply the same information given to the WOAH. APHIS will announce in 
the Federal Register, subject to public comment, its intent to concur 
with a WOAH classification.
    In accordance with this process, we published a notice \2\ in the 
Federal Register on April 14, 2022 (87 FR 22168- 22169, Docket No. 
APHIS-2022-0005), in which we announced our intent to concur with the 
WOAH risk classification of Ireland as being a region of negligible 
risk for BSE. We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending on 
June 13, 2022. We received one comment by that date, from a private 
citizen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ To view the notice, go to www.regulations.gov and enter 
APHIS-2022-0005 in the Search field.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The commenter claimed that we provided no evidence to support that 
BSE levels in Ireland's cattle population approach zero.
    Neither the notice nor the conclusions of the WOAH referenced in 
the notice claimed that BSE cases in Ireland approach zero. Rather, the 
WOAH classified Ireland as BSE negligible risk. While negligible risk 
indicates that the occurrence of BSE is very rare, it does not 
translate to zero risk, nor does it imply the expectation or assumption 
that the risk will become zero in the future. Atypical BSE may still be 
detected in countries or regions with a negligible risk status. The 
atypical BSE forms, L-type and H-type, occur spontaneously at very low 
levels in all cattle populations.
    The commenter also stated that relying on slaughterhouses/abattoirs 
to find cases of BSE is an unreliable surveillance method.
    Because there is currently no test to detect BSE in a live animal, 
sampling for BSE is often performed in the slaughterhouse/abattoir 
environment. It may also be performed at rendering or salvage 
facilities, on-farm, at veterinary clinics, or at veterinary diagnostic 
laboratories. Ireland provided documentation for the standard operating 
procedures for active surveillance for BSE in cattle and documented 
that the samples collected are representative of the cattle population 
in the country. Furthermore, Ireland provided documentation that BSE 
surveillance exceeded Type B surveillance minimum requirements in 
Chapter 11.4 of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code. As the 
commenter provided no information to support the claim that this 
surveillance is unreliable, we continue to concur with the WOAH risk 
classification of Ireland as being a region of negligible risk for BSE.
    The commenter also claimed that laboratories in general lack the 
skills necessary to detect BSE.
    All BSE confirmatory testing in Ireland is carried out in the 
Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Backweston, which is the 
National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for transmissible spongiform 
encephalopathies in Ireland. The confirmatory tests used are 
histopathology, immunohistochemistry using antibody F89, and immunoblot 
(Biorad TeSeE). All confirmatory and discriminatory tests used are 
accredited to the international standard for laboratories (IS0-17025). 
All rapid

[[Page 60642]]

screening for BSE is conducted with European Union-approved rapid tests 
at Rapid Test Laboratories that are approved and monitored by the NRL. 
Ireland provided documentation that BSE diagnostic procedures and the 
reference laboratory facilities (NRL and Rapid Test Laboratories) meet 
the requirements in the WOAH Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines 
for Terrestrial Animals. As the commenter provided no information to 
support the claim that these laboratories or tests are unable to 
accurately detect BSE, we continue to concur with the WOAH risk 
classification of Ireland as being a region of negligible risk for BSE.
    Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in Sec.  92.5, we are 
announcing our decision to concur with the WOAH risk classification for 
Ireland.
Congressional Review Act
    Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this action 
as not a major rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
    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 30th day of September 2022.
Anthony Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-21729 Filed 10-5-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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