Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service December 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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

We are amending the regulations to add the Republic of Korea to the list of regions that are considered free of rinderpest and foot- and-mouth disease (FMD). We are taking this action because we have conducted an evaluation and determined that the Republic of Korea is free of rinderpest and FMD. We are also adding the Republic of Korea to the list of regions that are subject to certain import restrictions on meat and meat products because of their proximity to or trading relationships with rinderpest- or FMD-affected countries. These actions will update the disease status of the Republic of Korea with regard to rinderpest and FMD while continuing to protect the United States from an introduction of those diseases by providing additional requirements for meat and other animal products imported into the United States from the Republic of Korea.

We are amending the bovine tuberculosis regulations to adjust the boundaries of the modified accredited and modified accredited advanced tuberculosis risk classification zones for the State of Michigan. We have determined that Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, and Otsego Counties, MI, which are currently designated as modified accredited, now meet our requirements for modified accredited advanced status. Therefore, we are removing these six counties from the list of modified accredited zones and adding them to the list of modified accredited advanced zones. This action lessens restrictions on the interstate movement of cattle and bison from these areas of Michigan.

We are amending the regulations to allow for the importation of cooked pork skins from regions affected with foot-and-mouth disease, swine vesicular disease, African swine fever, and classical swine fever under certain conditions. We are taking this action after preparing a risk assessment that concluded that the cooking methods examined are sufficient to inactivate the pathogens of concern. This action will relieve restrictions on the importation of cooked pork skins while continuing to protect against the introduction of those diseases of concern.

We are advising the public of our determination that a corn line developed by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, designated as transformation event 98140, which has been genetically engineered for tolerance to glyphosate and acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicides, is no longer considered a regulated article under our regulations governing the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms. Our determination is based on our evaluation of data submitted by the Pioneer Hi-Bred International in its petition for a determination of nonregulated status, our analysis of other scientific data, and comments received from the public in response to a previous notice announcing the availability of the petition for nonregulated status and its associated environmental assessment. This notice also announces the availability of our written determination and finding of no significant impact.