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

We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the Karnal bunt regulations to provide compensation for certain growers and handlers of grain and seed affected by Karnal bunt who had not been eligible for compensation, and for certain wheat grown outside the regulated area that had been commingled with wheat grown in regulated areas in Texas. The compensation provided by the interim rule was necessary to encourage the participation of, and obtain cooperation from, affected individuals in our efforts to contain and reduce the prevalence of Karnal bunt.

We are giving notice of meetings of the General Conference Committee of the National Poultry Improvement Plan and of the Biennial Conference.

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 and extension of approval of an information collection associated with the Emergency Management Response System.

We are amending the Karnal bunt regulations to remove certain areas or fields in Baylor, Knox, Throckmorton, and Young Counties, TX, from the list of regulated areas based on our determination that those fields or areas meet our criteria for release from regulation. This action is necessary to relieve restrictions that are no longer necessary.

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 issuance of phytosanitary certificates for plants or plant products being exported to foreign countries.

We are proposing to relieve certain restrictions regarding the movement of Hass variety avocados. Specifically, we are proposing to amend our domestic quarantined regulations to provide for the interstate movement of Hass avocados from Mexican fruit fly and sapote fruit fly quarantined areas in the United States with a certificate if the fruit is safeguarded after harvest in accordance with specific measures. We are also proposing to amend our foreign quarantined regulations to remove trapping and bait spray treatment requirements related to Anastrepha spp. fruit flies for imported Hass avocados from Michoacan, Mexico. These actions are warranted in light of research demonstrating the limited host status of Hass avocados to various species of fruit flies in the genus Anastrepha, including Mexican fruit fly and sapote fruit fly. By amending our domestic and foreign quarantined regulations, we would make our domestic and foreign requirements for movement of Hass avocados consistent with each other and would relieve restrictions for Mexican Hass avocado producers. In addition, this action would provide an alternative means for Hass avocados to be moved interstate if the avocados originate from a Mexican fruit fly or sapote fruit fly quarantined area in the United States.