Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service August 9, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; Minimal-Risk Regions, Identification of Ruminants and Processing and Importation of Commodities
Document Number: E6-12944
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2006-08-09
Agency: Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
In a final rule published in the Federal Register on January 4, 2005, we amended the regulations regarding the importation of animals and animal products to establish a category of regions that present a minimal risk of introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) into the United States via live ruminants and ruminant products and byproducts, and we added Canada to this category. We also established conditions for the importation of certain live ruminants and ruminant products and byproducts from such regions. In this document, we are proposing to remove several restrictions regarding the identification of animals and the processing of ruminant materials from BSE minimal-risk regions, as well as BSE-based restrictions on gelatin derived from bovine hides. We do not believe these restrictions are necessary to prevent the introduction of BSE into the United States.
Animal Welfare; Elephants
Document Number: E6-12935
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2006-08-09
Agency: Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
We are notifying the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has received a petition from In Defense of Animals requesting that we issue an interpretive rule or policy to clarify the space and living conditions required for captive elephants, and that we enforce the Animal Welfare Act and its implementing regulations by requiring that exhibitors fully comply with the regulations. We are soliciting comments from the public regarding the petition, and whether we should continue to regulate the handling, care, treatment, and transport of elephants covered by the Animal Welfare Act under the general standards in the regulations or promulgate specific standards for elephants. We are also requesting comments regarding what should be included in any such standards.
Importation of Sheep and Goat Semen
Document Number: E6-12934
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2006-08-09
Agency: Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
We are proposing to amend the regulations regarding the importation of animal germplasm by removing specific restrictions on sheep semen from regions where scrapie exists and requiring the inclusion of additional information on the international health certificate accompanying sheep and goat semen. Experience and research have convinced us that sheep and goat semen pose a minimal risk of transmitting scrapie. This action would relieve restrictions on imported sheep semen while continuing to provide safeguards against the introduction and dissemination of scrapie.
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