Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service April 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are proposing to amend the user fee regulations by adding new fee categories and adjusting current fees charged for certain agricultural quarantine and inspection services that are provided in connection with certain commercial vessels, commercial trucks, commercial railroad cars, commercial aircraft, and international passengers arriving at ports in the customs territory of the United States. We are also proposing to adjust or remove the fee caps associated with commercial trucks, commercial vessels, and commercial railcars. We have determined that revised user fee categories and revised user fees are necessary to recover the costs of the current level of activity, to account for actual and projected increases in the cost of doing business, and to more accurately align fees with the costs associated with each fee service.

We are proposing to amend the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act regulations to provide for the use of a simpler labeling format that would better communicate product performance to the user. We intend to replace the current label format, which reflects any of four different levels of effectiveness, with a single, uniform label format. We are also proposing to require biologics licensees to provide a standardized summary, with confidential business information removed, of the efficacy and safety data submitted to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in support of the issuance of a full product license or conditional license. A simpler label format along with publicly available safety and efficacy data will help biologics producers to more clearly communicate product performance to their customers.

We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the Asian longhorned beetle regulations by adding a portion of Clermont County, OH, to the list of quarantined areas and restricting the interstate movement of regulated articles from that area. The interim rule was necessary to prevent the artificial spread of the Asian longhorned beetle to noninfested areas of the United States.

We are consolidating the regulations concerning the issuance of permits for the importation and interstate movement of a wide variety of regulated plants, plant products, and other articles. We are also making corresponding changes to the regulations concerning permits for the importation and interstate movement of noxious weeds and the importation of honeybees and other beekeeping articles. The regulations will also include new provisions for the denial of a permit and the revocation of a permit once issued. These changes will make our permit procedures more transparent and easier to use, allow us to evaluate a permit application more quickly and thoroughly, and help us hold permittees accountable for complying with permit conditions.

We are proposing to amend the regulations concerning the importation of citrus fruit to remove certain restrictions on the importation of Unshu oranges from Japan that are no longer necessary. Specifically, we propose to remove requirements for the fruit to be grown in specified canker-free export areas with buffer zones and for joint inspection in the groves and packinghouses by the Government of the Republic of Japan and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. We would also clarify that surface sterilization of the fruit must be conducted in accordance with our regulations. Finally, we would require that each shipment be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate containing an additional declaration stating that the fruit was given the required surface sterilization. These proposed changes would make the regulations concerning the importation of Unshu oranges from Japan consistent with our domestic regulations concerning the interstate movement of citrus fruit from areas quarantined because of citrus canker.

We are giving notice of a meeting of the General Conference Committee of the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) and the NPIP's 42nd Biennial Conference.