[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 21 (Friday, January 31, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5611-5612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01836]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2019-0067]
Addition of the Philippines to the List of Regions Affected With
African Swine Fever
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have added the Philippines
to the list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service considers to be affected with African swine fever (ASF). We
have taken this action because of confirmation of ASF in the
Philippines.
DATES: The Philippines was added to the APHIS list of regions
considered affected with ASF on September 17, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ingrid Kotowski, Regionalization
Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive,
Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; Phone: (919) 855-7732; email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred
to below as the regulations) govern the importation of specified
animals and
[[Page 5612]]
animal products to prevent the introduction into the United States of
various animal diseases, including African swine fever (ASF). ASF is a
highly contagious disease of wild and domestic swine that can spread
rapidly in swine populations with extremely high rates of morbidity and
mortality. A list of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably believed
to exist is maintained on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions/. This list is referenced in Sec. 94.8(a)(2)
of the regulations.
Section 94.8(a)(3) of the regulations states that APHIS will add a
region to the list referenced in Sec. 94.8(a)(2) upon determining ASF
exists in the region, based on reports APHIS receives of outbreaks of
the disease from veterinary officials of the exporting country, from
the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), or from other sources
the Administrator determines to be reliable, or upon determining that
there is reason to believe the disease exists in the region. Section
94.8(a)(1) of the regulations specifies the criteria on which the
Administrator bases the reason to believe ASF exists in a region.
Section 94.8(b) prohibits the importation of pork and pork products
from regions listed in accordance with Sec. 94.8 except if processed
and treated in accordance with the provisions specified in that section
or consigned to an APHIS-approved establishment for further processing.
Section 96.2 restricts the importation of swine casings that originated
in or were processed in a region where ASF exists, as listed under
Sec. 94.8(a).
On September 9, 2019, the veterinary authorities of the Philippines
reported to the OIE the occurrence of ASF in that country. Therefore,
in response to this outbreak, on September 17, 2019, APHIS added the
Philippines to the list of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably
believed to exist. This notice serves as an official record and public
notification of that action.
As a result, pork and pork products from the Philippines, including
casings, are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate
the risk of ASF introduction into the United States.
Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.),
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this action
as not a major rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 7701-7772, 7781-7786, and 8301-8317;
21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.
Done in Washington, DC, this 24th day of January 2020.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-01836 Filed 1-30-20; 8:45 am]
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