Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are proposing to amend the regulations governing the importation of cut flowers to remove requirements for the importation of specific types of cut flowers from the regulations, and to list them in the U.S. Department of Agriculture database called the Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements instead. Updates to these requirements would occur through a noticed-based process rather than rulemaking. We are also proposing to remove entirely any restrictions on the importation of cut flowers of the genera Chrysanthemum, Leucanthemella, and Nipponanthemum from countries in which chrysanthemum white rust (Puccinia horiana P. Henn., CWR) is known to exist. For this latter proposed action, we have prepared an analysis, which we are making available for public review and comment, that evaluates the efficacy of the current regulatory requirements in precluding the spread of CWR and the possible economic impacts associated with removing these requirements. These changes would allow us to use a notice-based, streamlined approach to update the import requirements for cut flowers, and it would remove CWR-specific restrictions on the importation of cut flowers.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with the regulations for the importation of seeds and screenings from Canada into the United States.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with its efforts to control Johne's disease in the United States.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with the regulations to prevent the introduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza, all subtypes, and Newcastle disease into the United States through the importation of pet, performing, and research birds and poultry, and unprocessed bird and poultry products, mainly bird carcasses.

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 the regulations governing approval and maintenance of livestock marketing establishments and facilities, withdrawal or denial of livestock marketing facilities and slaughtering and rendering facilities, and blood and tissue collection and recordkeeping at these facilities.

We are amending our regulations governing the user fees charged for certain Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection (AQI) services. We are reducing the fees charged to remove surcharges that were intended to fund a reserve. This action is necessary in order to ensure the regulations reflect an operational reduction of AQI fees that was announced through a November 1, 2022, Stakeholder Registry announcement, issued to comply with a September 15, 2022, judgment of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and which took effect on December 1, 2022.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS') intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with establishing credit accounts and the collection of user fees for certain reimbursable APHIS services.

We are advising the public that we are classifying eight Mexican regions for bovine tuberculosis as follows: The State of Sonora as Level II; the Yucat[aacute]n Peninsula region (States of Yucat[aacute]n and Quintana Roo, and part of the State of Campeche), the Huasteca region (parts of the States of Puebla, Veracruz, and Hidalgo), part of the State of Chihuahua, and part of the State of Durango as Level III; and part of the State of Coahuila, part of the State of Nuevo Le[oacute]n, and the State of Tamaulipas as Level IV. These recognitions are based on an evaluation we have prepared in connection with this action, which we made available for review and comment.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with accrediting nongovernment facilities to perform services related to the export of plants or plant products.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with the regulations for the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of Phytophthora ramorum.

We are revising the regulations for cured or cooked meat from regions where foot-and-mouth disease exists to reflect changes to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulations regarding thermally processed, commercially sterile meat. This action will remove from our regulations reference to a section in FSIS' regulations that was eliminated when FSIS consolidated their regulations regarding thermally processed, commercially sterile meat. This action will align the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's animal product regulations with the current FSIS regulations.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with the export of animal products from the United States.

We are advising the public that we added the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of North Macedonia to the list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service considers to be affected by African swine fever (ASF). We have taken these actions because of confirmation of ASF in the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of North Macedonia.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared a supplemental environmental assessment (EA) relative to a 2020 EA for the release of Aphalara itadori for the biological control of Japanese, Giant, and Bohemian knotweeds (Fallopia japonica, F. sachalinensis, and F. x bohemica), significant invasive weeds, within the contiguous United States. This supplement analyzes the potential impacts of the release of A. itadori from Murakami, Japan, that may be more effective than the present Hokkaido and Kyushu lines of A. itadori in reducing infestations of knotweeds, particularly hybrid knotweed, which is the most abundant type of knotweed in the United States. We are making the supplemental EA available to the public for review and comment.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with Federal recognition of a State's plant pest containment, eradication, or exclusion program as a Federally Recognized State Managed Phytosanitary Program.

We are proposing to amend the animal disease traceability regulations to require that eartags applied on or after a date 6 months (180 days) after publication in the Federal Register of a final rule following this proposed rule be both visually and electronically readable in order to be recognized for use as official eartags for interstate movement of cattle and bison covered under the regulations. We are also proposing to clarify certain record retention and record access requirements and revise some requirements pertaining to slaughter cattle. These proposed changes would enhance the ability of Tribal, State and Federal officials, private veterinarians, and livestock producers to quickly respond to high-impact diseases currently existing in the United States, as well as foreign animal diseases that threaten the viability of the U.S. cattle and bison industries.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request approval of a new information collection to conduct the National Animal Health Monitoring System's Sheep 2024 Study.

We are soliciting public comment on our plan to strengthen regulations regarding the handling of wild and exotic animals for exhibition, as well as the training of personnel involved in the handling of wild and exotic animals, and to establish standards addressing environmental enrichment for all regulated animals. The changes we are considering would help ensure the humane handling and treatment of exhibited animals, as well as the health and well-being of all animals covered under the Animal Welfare Act.