Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service December 31, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are amending the Animal Welfare Act regulations to add requirements for contingency planning and training of personnel by research facilities and by dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers. We are taking this action because we believe all licensees and registrants should develop a contingency plan for all animals regulated under the Animal Welfare Act in an effort to better prepare for potential disasters. This action will heighten the awareness of licensees and registrants regarding their responsibilities and help ensure a timely and appropriate response should an emergency or disaster occur.

This notice announces the availability of new data standards required to generate an official interstate certificate of veterinary inspection (ICVI). The data standards would define the minimum data elements required to generate an ICVI using an electronic data system, outline the methods by which data can be shared between participating systems, and provide methods of approving data systems for data quality control. We are making these standards available for public review and comment.