Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service January 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are amending the regulations governing the importation of certain animals, meat, and other animal products by removing Surrey County, England, from the list of regions considered to be free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). We are taking this action because the existence of FMD has been confirmed in that area. This action is necessary to prevent the introduction of FMD into the United States. As a result of this interim rule the importation of ruminants and swine and the fresh meat and other animal products of ruminants and swine from Surrey County, England, is restricted.

We are proposing to amend the regulations regarding the importation of cattle from Mexico by adding San Luis, AZ, as a port through which cattle that have been infested with fever ticks or exposed to fever ticks or tick-borne diseases may be imported into the United States. A new facility for the handling of animals is to be constructed on the Mexican side of the border at the port of San Luis, AZ, that will be equipped with facilities necessary for the proper chute inspection, dipping, and testing that are required for such cattle under the regulations. We would also amend the regulations to remove provisions that limit the admission of cattle that have been infested with fever ticks or exposed to fever ticks or tick-borne diseases to the State of Texas. The statutory requirement that limited the admission of those cattle to the State of Texas has been repealed. These proposed changes would make an additional port of entry available and relieve restrictions on the movement of imported Mexican cattle within 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 gypsy moth program.

We are giving notice of a meeting of the General Conference Committee of the National Poultry Improvement Plan.

We are amending the regulations concerning the importation of animals and animal products by adding Armenia to the list of regions where African swine fever exists. We are taking this action because outbreaks of African swine fever have been confirmed in various locations in the northern portion of Armenia. This action will restrict the importation of pork and pork products into the United States from Armenia and is necessary to prevent the introduction of African swine fever into the United States.

We are proposing to amend the Animal Welfare Act regulations regarding transportation of live animals other than marine mammals by removing the current ambient temperature requirements for various stages in the transportation of those animals. We would replace those requirements with a single performance standard under which the animals would be transported under climatic and environmental conditions that are appropriate for their welfare. The regulations currently require that ambient temperatures be maintained within certain ranges during transportation, but animals may be transported at ambient temperatures below the minimum temperatures if their consignor provides a certificate signed by a veterinarian certifying that the animals are acclimated to temperatures lower than the minimum temperature. This proposal would make acclimation certificates for live animals other than marine mammals unnecessary. This proposal replaces a previously published proposed rule, which we are withdrawing as part of this document, that would have required that the acclimation certificate for a dog or cat be signed by the owner of the dog or cat being transported rather than by a veterinarian. This proposal does not address marine mammals due to their unique requirements for care and handling. These changes would remove potentially confusing temperature requirements and acclimation certificate provisions from the regulations governing the transportation of animals other than marine mammals and focus those regulations on ensuring that climatic and environmental conditions are maintained appropriately during transportation of those animals.