Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service March 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 regulations for importation of seed and screenings.

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 regulations for the interstate movement of plants and plant products from the District of Columbia.

We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the regulations by adding the Cities of Roanoke and Salem and the Counties of Craig, Giles, and Roanoke in Virginia to the list of generally infested areas based on the detection of infestations of gypsy moth in those areas. As a result of the interim rule, the interstate movement of regulated articles from those areas is restricted. The interim rule was necessary to prevent the spread of gypsy moth to noninfested areas of the United States.

We are advising the public that the United States District Court for the Northern District of California has vacated the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS') June 2005 determination of nonregulated status with respect to the Monsanto Company and Forage Genetics International alfalfa lines designated as events J101 and J163, which have been genetically engineered for tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate. The effect of this action is that those alfalfa events, known as Roundup Ready alfalfa, are once again considered regulated articles under APHIS' regulations in 7 CFR part 340 and the requirements pertaining to regulated articles under those regulations will once again apply to the subject alfalfa and its progeny. This notice also advises Roundup Ready alfalfa sellers and growers that no Roundup Ready alfalfa seed may be planted after March 30, 2007; that only seed purchased by growers before March 12, 2007, may be planted by March 30, 2007; and that all sales of Roundup Ready alfalfa seed are prohibited pending the Court's issuance of permanent injunctive relief.

We are amending the citrus canker quarantine regulations to explicitly prohibit, with limited exceptions, the interstate movement of regulated nursery stock from a quarantined area. The interstate movement of regulated nursery stock from an area quarantined for citrus canker poses a high risk of spreading citrus canker outside the quarantined area. We are including two exceptions to the prohibition. We are allowing calamondin and kumquat plants, two types of citrus plants that are highly resistant to citrus canker, to move interstate from a quarantined area under a protocol designed to ensure that they are free of citrus canker prior to movement. We will also continue to allow the interstate movement of regulated nursery stock for immediate export, under certain conditions. This action is necessary to clarify our regulations and to address the risk associated with the interstate movement of regulated nursery stock from areas quarantined for citrus canker.

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 regulations for the interstate movement of swine within a production system.

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 regulations for blood and tissue collection at slaughtering and rendering establishments to enhance animal disease surveillance.

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 regulations for the interstate movement of certain land tortoises.

We are amending the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation into the continental United States of mangoes from India under certain conditions. As a condition of entry, the mangoes must undergo irradiation treatment and be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with additional declarations providing specific information regarding the treatment and inspection of the mangoes and the orchards in which they were grown. In addition, the mangoes will be subject to inspection at the port of first arrival. This action allows for the importation of mangoes from India into the continental United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to initiate a new information collection activity for Tribal participants in premises registration for the National Animal Identification System.