[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 211 (Wednesday, November 1, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 55443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-27008]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
9 CFR Part 161

[Docket No. 94-027-3]


Standards for Accredited Veterinarian Duties

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Technical amendment.

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SUMMARY: We are making a technical amendment to correct an omission in 
the regulations regarding standards for accredited veterinarians.

EFFECTIVE DATE: November 1, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. J.A. Heamon, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, National Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD, 20737-1231; (301) 734-6954.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In accordance with 9 CFR parts 160, 161, and 162 (referred to below 
as the regulations), some veterinarians are accredited by the Federal 
Government to cooperate with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) in controlling and preventing the spread of animal 
diseases throughout the country and internationally. Accredited 
veterinarians use their professional training in veterinary medicine to 
perform certain regulatory tasks.
    As part of a final rule published in the Federal Register on August 
4, 1995 (60 FR 39840-39842, Docket No. 94-027-2), and effective 
September 5, 1995, we revised the regulations in Sec. 161.3(a) to allow 
accredited veterinarians to issue official animal health documents for 
up to 30 days after inspecting animals in herds or flocks under regular 
health maintenance programs and for up to 10 days after inspecting all 
other animals. When we revised that paragraph, we inadvertently failed 
to retain the provisions of the original paragraph that specified the 
conditions under which the subject animal must be inspected. It was 
never our intention to remove or modify those conditions, and no 
changes to those conditions were discussed in the final rule or in the 
proposed rule that preceded it (60 FR 13084-13086, Docket No. 94-027-1, 
published March 10, 1995). We are, therefore, amending the introductory 
text of Sec. 161.3(a) to restore those provisions regarding the 
location and manner in which animals must be inspected.

List of Subjects in 9 CFR Part 161

    Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Veterinarians.

    Accordingly, 9 CFR part 161 is amended as follows:

PART 161--REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITED VETERINARIANS 
AND SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF SUCH ACCREDITATION

    1. The authority citation for part 161 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1828; 21 U.S.C. 105, 111-114, 114a, 114a-1, 
115, 116, 120, 121, 125, 134b, 134f, 612, and 613; 7 CFR 2.17, 2.51, 
and 371.2(d).

    2. In Sec. 161.3, at the end of the introductory text of paragraph 
(a), two new sentences are added after the first sentence to read as 
follows:


Sec. 161.3  Standards for accredited veterinarian duties.

* * * * *
    (a) * * * Inspections under this paragraph must be conducted in a 
location that allows the accredited veterinarian sufficient space to 
observe the animal in such a manner as to detect abnormalities related 
to areas such as, but not limited to, locomotion, body excretion, 
respiration, and skin conditions. An accredited veterinarian shall 
examine each animal showing abnormalities, in order to determine 
whether or not there is clinical evidence compatible with the presence 
or absence of a communicable disease.
* * * * *
    Done in Washington, DC, this 26th day of October 1995.
Lonnie J. King,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 95-27008 Filed 10-31-95; 8:45 am]
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