[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 7, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13696-13697]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-5589]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 97-093-6]


Commercially Produced Official Identification Eartags and 
Backtags for Sheep and Goats

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are giving notice that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service has established a contact office for companies that 
wish to produce official identification eartags and backtags for sheep 
and goats. This office will advise companies on production standards 
necessary for eartags and backtags to qualify as the official 
identification that is required for certain sheep and goats under our 
regulations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Diane Sutton, National Scrapie 
Program Coordinator, National Animal Health Programs Staff, VS, APHIS, 
4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-6954.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Scrapie is a degenerative and eventually 
fatal disease affecting the central nervous systems of sheep and goats. 
To control the spread of scrapie within the United States, the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA), administers regulations at 9 CFR part 79, which 
restrict the interstate movement of certain sheep and goats. APHIS also 
has regulations at 9 CFR part 54, which describe a voluntary scrapie 
control program.
    These regulations require that, in some circumstances, certain 
sheep and

[[Page 13697]]

goats must be either individually identified, or identified with their 
premises of origin. Eartags and backtags are two of the most common 
devices for accomplishing the required identification. As APHIS 
continues to revise and expand its scrapie programs, we anticipate that 
the demand for eartags and backtags for official identification will 
increase over the next few years. Federal and State agencies, 
accredited veterinarians, and sheep and goat flock owners will be 
looking for commercial sources to supply the needed eartags and 
backtags.
    To assist interested companies that wish to produce eartags and 
backtags for sheep and goats, APHIS has identified the office of the 
National Scrapie Program Coordinator as the contact point for companies 
to obtain advice on the production standards eartags and backtags must 
meet to qualify as official identification in accordance with our 
regulations. Further details on production standards for eartags and 
backtags may be obtained from the office identified in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section above. This office will also review sample 
tags for suitability and approve companies to produce official 
identification eartags and backtags.
    In general, tags may be plastic or metal and must be an appropriate 
size for use in sheep and goats. Tags must be able to legibly 
accommodate any required alphanumeric sequences to identify individual 
animals or their premises. Tags must resist removal and must be 
difficult to place on another animal once removed, but need not be 
tamper-proof. Tags must be readily distinguishable as USDA official 
sheep and goat tags, must carry the alphanumeric sequences, symbols, or 
logos specified by APHIS, and must have a means of discouraging 
counterfeiting, such as use of a unique copyrighted logo or trade mark.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 1st day of March 2001.
Bobby R. Acord,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 01-5589 Filed 3-6-01 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P