Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service September 18, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are proposing to consolidate our domestic regulations regarding exotic fruit flies. Currently, these regulations are contained in six separate subparts, each of which covers a different species of fruit fly, and each of these subparts has parallel sections that are substantially the same as the corresponding sections in the other subparts. Therefore, we are proposing to combine these six subparts into a single subpart. We are also proposing to modify the regulations by adding a mechanism through which quarantined areas can be removed from the regulations as quickly as they are added. These proposed changes would eliminate duplication and enhance the flexibility of the regulations.

We are amending the regulations regarding the importation of animals and animal products to establish conditions for the importation of the following commodities from regions that present a minimal risk of introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the United States: Live bovines for any use born on or after a date determined by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to be the date of effective enforcement of a ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban in the region of export; blood and blood products derived from bovines; and casings and part of the small intestine derived from bovines. We are making these amendments after conducting a risk assessment and comprehensive evaluation of the issues and concluding that such bovines and bovine products can be safely imported under the conditions described in this rule. This document also removes the delay in applicability of certain provisions of a final rule published in January 2005.