[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 24, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 4534-4536]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-1740]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 91

[Docket No. 93-031-2]


Inspection of Animals for Export to Mexico or Canada

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are amending the regulations concerning the inspection and 
handling of livestock for exportation by requiring that all animals 
intended for exportation other than by land (that is to say, by air or 
sea) to Mexico or Canada receive a final inspection by an Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service veterinarian at an export inspection 
facility at a designated port of embarkation. We have determined this 
action is necessary to help ensure that only healthy animals are 
exported from the United States.

EFFECTIVE DATE: February 23, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Michael David, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, Import-Export Animals Staff, National Center for Import-
Export, Veterinary Services, APHIS, USDA, P.O. Drawer 810, Riverdale, 
MD 20738. The telephone number for the agency contact will change when 
agency offices in Hyattsville, MD, move to Riverdale, MD, in February. 
Telephone: (301) 436-7511 (Hyattsville); (301) 734-7511 (Riverdale).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The regulations in 9 CFR part 91, ``Inspection and Handling of 
Livestock for Exportation'' (referred to below as the regulations), 
prescribe conditions for exporting animals from the United States. 
Section 91.3(a) requires, among other things, that all animals intended 
for exportation to Mexico or Canada, except cattle from Mexico imported 
into the United States in bond for temporary feeding and return to 
Mexico, be accompanied from the State of origin of the export movement 
to the border of the United States by an origin health certificate. 
Section 91.3(b) requires, among other things, that all animals in 
export shipments, except animals intended for export to Mexico or 
Canada, be inspected, tested, or treated as prescribed in the 
regulations before the movement of the export shipment to the export 
inspection facility. Section 91.14(a) requires that all animals, except 
animals being exported to Mexico or Canada, be exported through 
designated ports of embarkation with export inspection facilities that 
meet the standards for export inspection facilities specified in 
Sec. 91.14(c). Section 91.15(a) requires that all animals offered for 
exportation to foreign countries, except Mexico or Canada, be inspected 
by an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) veterinarian 
at either: (1) An export inspection facility at a port designated in 
Sec. 91.14(a); or (2) in special cases, at a port or inspection 
facility designated by the Administrator under Sec. 91.14(b).
    On April 26, 1994, we published in the Federal Register (59 FR 
21675-21676, Docket No. 93-031-1) a proposal to amend the regulations 
by requiring that all animals intended for exportation other than by 
land (that is to say, by air or sea) to Mexico or Canada receive a 
final inspection by an APHIS veterinarian at an export inspection 
facility at a designated port of embarkation to help ensure that only 
healthy animals are exported from the United States.
    We solicited comments concerning our proposal for 60 days ending 
June 27, 1994. We received three comments by that date. They were from 
one producer and two horse industry organizations. We carefully 
considered these comments, which are discussed below by topic.

Basis for Change

    One commenter stated that there is no evidence that unhealthy 
horses are being exported to Canada or Mexico, or that Canadian or 
Mexican officials are concerned about the problem. The commenter stated 
further that if these countries are concerned, they and not APHIS need 
to address the problem. We have made no change in response to this 
comment. It is the responsibility of the Secretary of Agriculture to 
ensure that only healthy horses and other livestock are exported from 
the United States (21 U.S.C. 105, 112, 113, 612 and 614).
    One commenter stated that the present regulations, which require 
the animals to be accompanied from the State of origin to the port of 
embarkation by an origin health certificate, are sufficient. We have 
made no change based on this comment. We agree that the present 
regulations are sufficient for animals traveling by land to Canada or 
Mexico because of the follow-up inspection at the border. However, 
animals identified on the origin health certificate may have been 
inspected at any time within 30 days prior to the date of the export 
movement. We believe that a final inspection at the port of embarkation 
is necessary for animals shipped to Canada or Mexico by air or 
[[Page 4535]] sea to ensure that the animals are healthy.
    One commenter expressed concern about the effect of this rulemaking 
on the Breeders' Cup, an organization which conducts an annual 
international championship event. The commenter said that this event 
will be held in Canada in 1996, and that the rule would create a 
hardship for individual horsemen and airline carriers by requiring them 
to coordinate inspections for horses leaving racing facilities across 
the United States, and by requiring the horses to leave from only USDA 
designated ports of embarkation. We have made no changes based on this 
comment. We have already explained our reason for requiring the horses 
to be inspected. As for requiring the inspection to take place at USDA 
designated ports of embarkation, there are approximately 30 designated 
ports of embarkation in the United States for the exportation of 
animals. Furthermore, our regulations provide that, in special cases, 
other ports may be designated by the Administrator, with the 
concurrence of the Director of Customs, when the exporter can show to 
the satisfaction of the Administrator that the animals to be exported 
would suffer undue hardship if required to move to one of the 
designated ports. These provisions have proved successful for the 
movement of animals, including horses, to other foreign countries, and 
we are confident that they will prove sufficient for the movement of 
animals by air or sea to Canada or Mexico.
    One commenter stated that the proposed amendments would create an 
economic hardship on horse owners, because they would have to pay an 
hourly user fee, for a minimum of 5 hours, plus applicable reimbursable 
overtime expenses, while the horses are held at the port of embarkation 
for the final inspection. The commenter stated that these costs would 
be proportionally greater for horse owners than for owners of other 
animals, since horses are shipped in smaller volumes than are other 
animals. We have made no changes based on this comment. We do not 
believe that horse owners will be disproportionately affected by this 
rulemaking. In accordance with 9 CFR 130.21, a user fee of $50.00 per 
hour is charged for inspection and supervision services provided by 
APHIS personnel for export animals. The total user fee for these 
services is based on the amount of time it takes APHIS personnel to 
actually inspect the horses or other animals, not on the 5-hour holding 
period specified in Sec. 91.15(a). Smaller shipments will normally take 
less time, and incur a lower user fee, than larger shipments. 
Therefore, based on the rationale set forth in the proposed rule and in 
this document, we are adopting the provisions of the proposal as a 
final rule.

Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12866. The rule 
has been determined to be not significant for the purposes of Executive 
Order 12866 and, therefore, has not been reviewed by the Office of 
Management and Budget.
    This rule will require a final inspection at an export inspection 
facility at a designated port of embarkation for all animals intended 
for export to Canada and Mexico by air or sea. Animals intended for 
export to Mexico and Canada by air or sea will first be inspected by an 
APHIS representative or an accredited veterinarian in the State of 
origin. The APHIS representative or an accredited veterinarian will 
issue an origin health certificate, which an authorized APHIS 
veterinarian in the State of origin will endorse. At the port of 
embarkation, the animals will receive a final inspection by an APHIS 
veterinarian before they will be allowed to leave the United States.
     The exporter will be charged a user fee ($50.00 an hour plus 
reimbursable overtime when applicable) for the final inspection as 
provided in 9 CFR part 130. This inspection could require 6 to 8 hours 
of work for one or two veterinarians. The total cost of inspection for 
an air shipment of gilts or heifers from Miami ranges from about $200 
to $600 a shipment. The total cost of inspection for a sea shipment of 
heifers from Hawaii ranges from $1,000 to $2,000 a shipment.
    These costs are very small compared to the value of the animals 
being shipped. For example, gilts (young, female pigs or immature sows) 
may be valued at $500 to $1,000 or more a head, depending upon breed. 
Heifers (young cows that have not borne calves) may be worth $2,000 a 
head. One air shipment may contain as many as 240 gilts or 80 heifers. 
One sea shipment from Hawaii may contain 1,000 to 2,000 heifers.
    Relatively few exporters of horses will be affected by this rule. 
Our records indicate that during fiscal year 1994, exporters moved 
fewer than 10 shipments of horses (totalling less than 20 horses) to 
Mexico by air (there were no shipments of horses to Mexico by sea) and 
no shipments of horses by air or sea to Canada. By far, most shipments 
are by land, with the number of horses exported to Mexico ranging from 
1,000 to 2,500 annually, and to Canada ranging from 50,000 to 60,000 
annually.
    Generally, the entities that will be affected by this rule are not 
small (defined as having 100 or fewer employees). They are large 
companies, often with worldwide operations that handle large volumes of 
traded animals. For example, about 14,000 swine were exported by air 
from Miami last year, all by a few large companies. There are now only 
two exporting companies operating out of Hawaii, one of which is a 
``small'' entity.
    Under these circumstances, the Administrator of the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that this action will 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.

Executive Order 12372

    This program/activity is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance under No. 10.025 and is subject to Executive Order 12372, 
which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local 
officials. (See 7 CFR part 3015, subpart V.)

Executive Order 12778

    This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12778, Civil 
Justice Reform. This rule: (1) Preempts all State and local laws and 
regulations that are inconsistent with this rule; (2) has no 
retroactive effect; and (3) does not require administrative proceedings 
before parties may file suit in court challenging this rule.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.), the information collection or recordkeeping requirements 
included in this rule have been approved by the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB), and there are no new requirements. The assigned OMB 
control number is 0579-0020.

List of Subjects in 9 CFR Part 91

    Animal diseases, Animal welfare, Exports, Livestock, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Transportation.

    Accordingly, 9 CFR part 91 is amended as follows:

PART 91--INSPECTION AND HANDLING OF LIVESTOCK FOR EXPORTATION

    1. The authority citation for part 91 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 21 U.S.C. 105, 112, 113, 114a, 120, 121, 134b, 134f, 
136, 136a, 612, 613, 614, 618, 46 U.S.C. 466a, 466b, 49 U.S.C. 
1509(d); 7 CFR 2.17, 2.51, and 371.2(d). [[Page 4536]] 


Sec. 91.3  [Amended]

    2. Section 91.3 is amended as follows:
    a. In paragraph (a), in the first and second sentences, the words 
``by land'' are added immediately before the phrase ``to Mexico or 
Canada''.
    b. In paragraph (b), in the first and second sentences, the words 
``by land'' are added immediately before the phrase ``to Mexico or 
Canada''.
    c. At the end of the section, in the parenthetical statement, 
``0579-0069'' is removed and ``0579-0020'' is added in its place.


Sec. 91.5  [Amended]

    3. In Sec. 91.5, at the end of the section, in the parenthetical 
statement, ``0579-0069'' is removed and ``0579-0020'' is added in its 
place.


Sec. 91.6  [Amended]

    4. In Sec. 91.6, at the end of the section, in the parenthetical 
statement, ``0579-0069'' is removed and ``0579-0020'' is added in its 
place.


Sec. 91.14  [Amended]

    5. In Sec. 91.14, paragraph (a), introductory text, in the second 
sentence, the words ``by land'' are added immediately before the phrase 
``to Mexico or Canada''.


Sec. 91.15  [Amended]

    6. In Sec. 91.15, in paragraph (a), the words ``by land to'' are 
added immediately before the phrase ``Mexico or Canada''.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of January 1995.
Lonnie J. King,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 95-1740 Filed 1-23-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P