[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 21, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 9631-9632]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-4180]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Parts 50, 77, and 92

[Docket No. 93-014-3]


Cattle From Mexico

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule; withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: We are withdrawing a proposed rule that would have required 
certain steers and spayed heifers imported into the United States from 
Mexico to be sent to a quarantined pasture or feedlot for finish 
feeding, or to a holding facility for quarantine and a 60-day post-
entry tuberculin test. The proposed rule would also have denied claims 
for indemnity for Mexican-origin steers or spayed heifers that were 
positive to the 60-day post-entry tuberculin test, and would have 
denied claims for indemnity for cattle that were exposed to such 
animals. We are taking this action after considering the comments we 
received following the publication of the proposed rule.

DATES: The proposed rule is withdrawn February 21, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dr. Joseph S. VanTiem, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, [[Page 9632]] Cattle 
Diseases and Surveillance Staff, 4700 River Road Unit 36, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1231; (301) 734-8715.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On May 9, 1994, we published in the Federal Register (59 FR 23810-
23817, Docket No. 93-014-1) a proposed rule to amend the regulations in 
9 CFR parts 50, 77, and 92 to require certain steers and spayed heifers 
imported into the United States from Mexico to be sent to a quarantined 
pasture or feedlot for finish feeding, or to holding facility for 
quarantine and a 60-day postentry tuberculin test. The proposed rule 
also contained provisions to deny claims for indemnity for Mexican-
origin steers or spayed heifers that tested positive to the 60-day post 
entry tuberculin test, and to deny claims for indemnity for cattle that 
were exposed to such animals.
    We initially solicited comments on the proposed rule for 60 days 
ending on July 8, 1994. We received several requests for an extension 
of the comment period to allow interested parties additional time to 
prepare comments on the proposal. In response to those requests, we 
published a notice in the Federal Register on July 18, 1994 (59 FR 
36374, Docket No. 93-014-2) that reopened and extended the comment 
period for the proposed rule until September 16, 1994.
    By the close of the extended comment period, we had received a 
total of 165 comments. The comments were submitted by representatives 
of the Mexican Government, animal rights organizations, private 
citizens, dairies and dairy associations, U.S. and Mexican tuberculosis 
eradication committees, cattle industry associations, a bank, cattle 
companies, feedlot operators, veterinary and animal health 
associations, State agriculture agencies and livestock boards, cattle 
importers and exporters, a farm bureau federation, government and 
private veterinarians, ranchers, and universities. None of the 
commenters supported the proposed rule as written; some offered general 
suggestions, while others submitted detailed recommendations for 
changes.
    The majority of the commenters believed that the proposed rule 
would adversely affect the cattle industry and efforts to control 
tuberculosis in both the United States and Mexico. Many commenters 
believed that the proposed rule placed the burden of controlling 
potentially infected Mexican cattle on individual States and failed to 
provide any incentive to Mexican cattle producers to develop and 
implement a comprehensive tuberculosis control and eradication program. 
Other commenters also cited the potential hardship that the proposed 
rule would place on U.S. and Mexican cattle producers.
    After considering all the comments we received, we have concluded 
that it is necessary to comprehensively reexamine the issues associated 
with the importation into the United States of cattle from Mexico. 
Therefore, we are withdrawing the May 9, 1994, proposed rule referenced 
above. The concerns and recommendations of all the commenters will be 
considered during the development of any new proposed regulations 
regarding the importation of cattle from Mexico.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622; 19 U.S.C. 1306; 21 U.S.C. 102-105, 
111-113, 114, 114a, 114a-1, 115-117, 120, 121, 125, 134a, 134b, 
134c, 134d, 134f, 135, 136, and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.17, 
2.51, and 371.2(d).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 13th day of February 1995.
Lonnie J. King,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 95-4180 Filed 2-17-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-M