[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 51 (Friday, March 15, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11557-11561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-6266]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Parts 91 and 161

[Docket No. 99-053-2]


Origin Health Certificates for Livestock Exported From the United 
States

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are amending the regulations pertaining to animal exports 
and the standards for accredited veterinarians to allow origin health 
certificates for animals intended for export from the United States to 
be valid for more than 30 days in some cases, depending on the testing 
requirements of the country of destination. This change will align our 
requirements for export origin health certificates with the testing 
requirements of importing countries. This action will eliminate the 
need for exporters to obtain another certificate when animals arrive at 
the port of embarkation after more than 30 days have elapsed, thereby 
reducing costs and delays for U.S. livestock exporters who ship animals 
to certain countries. This change will not increase the risk of 
infected or exposed animals being exported, since all animals are 
inspected an additional time before leaving the United States.

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 1, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Bob Bokma, Coordinator, Americas 
Region, National Center for Import and

[[Page 11558]]

Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; 
(301) 734-8066.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The regulations in 9 CFR part 91, referred to below as the 
regulations, prescribe conditions for exporting animals from the United 
States. Among other things, Sec. 91.3(a) provides that all animals 
intended for exportation be accompanied from the State of origin to the 
port of embarkation or border by an origin health certificate issued by 
an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) representative or 
an accredited veterinarian. Origin health certificates attest that the 
animals in a shipment were inspected prior to export and were found 
free from any evidence of or exposure to communicable disease. The 
certificates also include identifying information pertaining to the 
individual animals in the shipment, as well as all test results, 
certifications, or other statements required by the country of 
destination.
    The regulations in Sec. 91.3(c) further require that all samples 
for tests be taken by an APHIS inspector or accredited veterinarian in 
the State of origin of the export movement and that, with certain 
exceptions, such sampling and testing be conducted within 30 days prior 
to the date of the export movement. Exceptions include cases in which 
the country of destination requires testing more than 30 days prior to 
the date of export. The regulations in 9 CFR part 161 contain 
requirements and standards for accredited veterinarians. Accredited 
veterinarians are authorized by APHIS to perform various types of work 
such as testing and inspecting animals for and issuing origin health 
certificates--on behalf of the Federal Government. Section 161.3, 
paragraph (b), states the length of time that certificates and other 
documents issued by an accredited veterinarian shall be valid. Prior to 
this final rule, the timeframe was 30 days from the date of inspection 
of the animal identified on the document, without exception. This meant 
that animals intended for export had to be inspected for purposes of 
the origin health certificate within 30 days prior to the date of 
export, even when sampling and testing could be conducted earlier.
    On April 17, 2000, we published in the Federal Register (65 FR 
20384-20387, Docket No. 99-053-1) a proposal to amend Sec. 91.3(a) to 
allow animals intended for exportation to be inspected for origin 
health certificates more than 30 days prior to the date of export, in 
accordance with the testing requirements of the country of destination. 
In conjunction with this proposed action, we also proposed to amend the 
language in Sec. 91.3(c) to provide that sampling and testing may be 
conducted more than 30 days prior to the date of export in instances 
where a receiving country allows rather than just requires, as the 
regulations previously stated this to occur. In addition, we proposed 
replacing the phrase ``the date of the movement of the animals for 
export'' with ``the date of export'' in both 91.3(a) and (c). We 
proposed this change to clarify that animals must be tested and 
inspected for origin health certificates 30 days or more, if the 
receiving country requires or allows it prior to the date they are 
actually exported, rather than 30 days from the date the animals 
started in transit to the port of embarkation or border. We further 
proposed to amend Sec. 161.3(b) to allow origin health certificates 
issued by accredited veterinarians to be valid for more than 30 days in 
cases where the Administrator allows the animals identified on the 
document to be inspected more than 30 days prior to the date of export.
    We solicited comments concerning our proposal for 60 days ending 
June 16, 2000. We received five comments by that date--four from 
livestock exporters, and one from a representative of a livestock 
export industry association. All supported the proposed rule, stating 
that, among other things, the proposed changes would improve their 
efficiency, eliminate costly delays, and help expedite livestock 
shipments.
    However, two of the commenters indicated that, while our action was 
a step in the right direction, we did not go far enough. These 
commenters asserted that APHIS should change the validity timeframe of 
all U.S. origin health certificates and test results from 30 days to 45 
days, unless otherwise required by the importing country. These 
commenters stated that 30 days is an insufficient amount of time to 
address the numerous problems that may arise during the export process; 
for example, if reactor animals need to be retested, or if mistakes or 
delays occur at the diagnostic laboratory. One of these commenters also 
asserted that extending the validity of origin health certificates for 
another 15 days would, in serious outbreak situations, give exporters 
time to avoid flight cancellation fees imposed by the airlines, and 
give importers time to reschedule quarantine space without incurring 
penalties. Moreover, this commenter stated that such a change would 
give APHIS' National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) more time 
to perform the necessary export tests.
    One of the commenters also objected to our proposal to change the 
phrase ``date of movement for export'' in the regulations to ``date of 
export.'' This commenter stated that the ``previous interpretation'' 
that tests and origin health certificates remained valid if the animals 
had started in transit to the port of embarkation or border prior to 30 
days from the date of the first test or the date of issuance of the 
certificate had assisted in facilitating livestock shipments on many 
occasions. The commenter also asserted that this change would likely 
contribute to the time problems faced by exporters.
    We are making no changes to the final rule based on these comments. 
We agree that 30 days can be a short amount of time in which to 
complete the numerous steps involved in the export certification 
process. More to the point, however, the countries of destination-- not 
APHIS-- determine and enforce their own import health requirements, 
including the timeframes within which test results and export origin 
health certificates are considered valid.
    As stated previously, while we recognize that problems and delays 
can occur with regard to obtaining the necessary tests, inspection, and 
other documentation required to certify animals for export, our 
experience shows that 30 days is not an unreasonable amount of time in 
most cases to complete the steps involved. For example, it typically 
takes only about 7 to 10 days to obtain test results for brucellosis, 
as well as for many of the other diseases of concern to importing 
countries. Nevertheless, APHIS' NVSL has undertaken a number of 
initiatives to improve its ability to provide efficient and expeditious 
service to exporters and other customers. For example, NVSL officials 
have developed guidelines that address the specific test requirements 
for exporting swine to China. NVSL officials have also developed a 
booklet that contains information about all currently available tests 
and reagents, including the length of time required to conduct each 
test. This document is available on the NVSL website at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nvsl. To avoid delays in processing the 
diagnostic tests necessary for export health certification, exporters 
are also encouraged to contact NVSL and/or the APHIS area veterinarian 
in charge in the State of origin to make arrangements for testing well 
in advance of planned shipping dates. Advance notification is 
particularly important for tests that are not run on a routine basis, 
such as those

[[Page 11559]]

for diseases like Salmonella abortus-equi.
    It is ultimately the exporters' responsibility to ensure that he or 
she complies with all requirements for testing and obtaining the 
appropriate health certification for animals intended for export. 
Accordingly, while we recognize that flight and quarantine space 
cancellations caused by delays in completing the steps involved in the 
export process can be costly to both exporters and importers, such 
issues are beyond the scope of APHIS' jurisdiction and this rulemaking 
action. Finally, it was always our intent that the actual date of 
export--not the date when animals start in transit to the port of 
embarkation or border--determine the timeframe within which origin 
health certificates and test results are deemed valid.
    Therefore, for the reasons given in the proposed rule and in this 
document, we are adopting the proposed rule as a final rule, without 
change.

Effective Date

    This is a substantive rule that relieves restrictions and, pursuant 
to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553, may be made effective less than 30 
days after publication in the Federal Register. By extending the 
validity for origin health certificates issued for animals being 
exported to certain countries, this rule will make the export process 
less time consuming and expensive for livestock exporters and 
marketers. We have determined that approximately 2 weeks are needed to 
ensure that APHIS field personnel receive official notice of this 
change in the regulations. Therefore, the Administrator of APHIS has 
determined that this rule should be made effective 15 days after 
publication in the Federal Register.

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 amends the regulations in 9 CFR part 91 to allow animals 
to be inspected for an origin health certificate as early as the 
country of destination allows or requires sampling or testing to be 
performed. We are also amending 9 CFR part 161 to allow an origin 
health certificate to be valid for more than 30 days when animals are 
allowed to be inspected more than 30 days prior to the date of movement 
for export in accordance with Sec. 91.3.

Costs

    Formerly, exporters who had their animals inspected and obtained an 
origin health certificate more than 30 days prior to the date of export 
had to obtain a new origin health certificate when the animals arrived 
at the port of embarkation or the border. On average, it costs $150 per 
shipment to have a veterinarian inspect animals for export and issue an 
origin health certificate. When this final rule becomes effective, the 
original origin health certificate will still be valid when the animals 
arrive at the port of embarkation or the border, and the exporter will 
not incur the costs of obtaining an additional origin health 
certificate.

Live Animal Exports

    United Nations trade data show that U.S. exports of live animals 
are worth more than $\1/2\ billion dollars a year (see tables 1 and 2). 
On average, U.S. exports of live animals from 1993 through 1999 were 
distributed as follows: More than 40 percent went to Mexico and Canada, 
approximately 13.5 percent went to Japan, 2 percent went to Brazil, 1.1 
percent went to the Republic of Korea (South Korea), and less than 1 
percent went to Turkey, Egypt, or Taiwan. Of these countries, Brazil, 
Egypt, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey provide for sampling and 
testing of live animals more than 30 days prior to exportation from the 
country of origin.

                                                         Table 1.--U.S. Exports of Live Animals
                                                                       [In $1,000]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                 South                              Rest of
              Year                  Mexico      Canada      Brazil       Egypt       Japan       Korea      Taiwan      Turkey     the world     Total
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993............................    $108,679    $127,058     $12,339      $1,337     $39,667      $4,777      $3,116      $2,339    $219,615    $518,927
1994............................     149,747     146,578      12,415       2,800      47,516       6,740       3,496       1,136     216,924     587,352
1995............................      31,409     124,974      14,179       2,196     110,646       8,856       2,791       7,689     216,502     519,242
1996............................      81,119     105,130      10,598       6,362     103,228       7,412       3,236       9,307     206,141     532,533
1997............................     210,013     111,446      13,691       2,261     109,123       8,060       2,495       2,042     235,965     695,096
1998............................     138,117     135,328       9,969       5,614      72,758       3,709       1,923       9,623     302,825     679,866
1999............................     103,681     180,262       9,863       4,115      74,766       6,866       2,882       4,276     271,306     658,017
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                         Table 2.--U.S. Exports of Live Animals
                                                         [As a percentage of total U.S. exports]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                         South
                          Year                              Mexico      Canada      Brazil       Egypt       Japan       Korea      Taiwan      Turkey
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993....................................................        20.9        24.5         2.4         0.3         7.6         0.9         0.6         0.5
1994....................................................        25.5        25.0         2.1         0.5         8.1         1.1         0.6         0.2
1995....................................................         6.0        24.1         2.7         0.4        21.3         1.7         0.5         1.5
1996....................................................        15.2        19.7         2.0         1.2        19.4         1.4         0.6         1.7
1997....................................................        30.2        16.0         2.0         0.3        15.7         1.2         0.4         0.3
1998....................................................        20.3        19.9         1.5         0.8        10.7         0.6         0.3         1.4
1999....................................................        15.8        27.4         1.5         0.6        11.4         1.0         0.4         0.6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan also provide for sampling 
and testing of live animals more than 30 days prior to exportation from 
the country of origin. These three Central Asian countries imported 
relatively few live animals from 1993 through 1998 and none from the 
United States; 1999 import data are not currently available. Table 3 
shows the value of live animals imported into these three countries and

[[Page 11560]]

the rest of the world, based on United Nations data.

                                        Table 3.--Imports of Live Animals
                                                   [In $1,000]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Year                          Kazakhstan     Turkmenistan     Uzbekistan     All countries
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993............................................            $600            $551  ..............      $8,965,958
1994............................................              29  ..............            $400       9,556,484
1995............................................             427  ..............             200      10,020,452
1996............................................             137  ..............             200       9,925,704
1997............................................             231  ..............             200       8,991,483
1998............................................             433  ..............             200       8,991,071
1999............................................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This final rule will facilitate live animal exports from the United 
States to Brazil, Egypt, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, 
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and other countries that may allow or require 
animals to be tested, or samples to be taken for testing, more than 30 
days prior to export from the United States. Approximately 17.5 percent 
of live animal exports from the United States went to these countries 
in the years 1993 through 1999. We do not know how many of these 
shipments were made by small entities. However, all U.S. entities, 
including small entities, who export live animals to these countries 
will benefit from this rule, albeit in a relatively small way, by not 
having to bear the costs of an additional origin health certificate, 
estimated at approximately $150 per shipment.
    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 12988

    This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, 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

    This final rule contains no information collection or recordkeeping 
requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.).

List of Subjects

9 CFR Part 91

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

9 CFR Part 161

    Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Veterinarians.

    Accordingly, we are amending 9 CFR parts 91 and 161 as follows:

PART 91--INSPECTION AND HANDLING OF LIVESTOCK FOR EXPORTATION

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

    Authority: 21 U.S.C. 105, 112, 113, 114a, 120, 121, 134b, 1343f, 
136, 136a, 612, 613, 614, and 618; 46 U.S.C. 3901 and 3902; 49 
U.S.C. 1509(d); 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.


    2. In Sec. 91.3, paragraph (a) and the second sentence in paragraph 
(c) are revised to read as follows:


Sec. 91.3  General export requirements.

    (a) All animals intended for exportation to a foreign country, 
except by land to Mexico or Canada, must be accompanied from the State 
of origin of the export movement to the port of embarkation by an 
origin health certificate. All animals intended for exportation by land 
to Mexico or Canada must be accompanied from the State of origin of the 
export movement to the border of the United States by an origin health 
certificate. The origin health certificate must certify that the 
animals were inspected within the 30 days prior to the date of export, 
except as follows: When the Administrator allows sampling or testing to 
be done more than 30 days prior to the date of export, in accordance 
with paragraph (c) of this section, then the animals also may be 
inspected within that same time period, and the origin health 
certificate will remain valid for that time period. The origin health 
certificate must certify that the animals were found upon inspection to 
be healthy and free from evidence of communicable disease and exposure 
to communicable disease. The origin health certificate must be endorsed 
by an authorized APHIS veterinarian in the State of origin and must 
include any test results added by the authorized APHIS veterinarian 
pursuant to Sec. 161.3(k) of this chapter (any added test results must 
be initialed by the authorized veterinarian). The origin health 
certificate must individually identify the animals in the shipment as 
to species, breed, sex, and age and, if applicable, must also show 
registration name and number, tattoo markings, or other natural or 
acquired markings. The origin health certificate must include all test 
results, certifications, or other statements required by the country of 
destination.
* * * * *
    (c) * * * The samples must be taken and tests must be made within 
the 30 days prior to the date of export, except that the Administrator 
may allow such sampling or testing to be conducted more than 30 days 
prior to the date of export if required or allowed by the receiving 
country, and the tuberculin test may be conducted within the 90 days 
prior to the date of export. * * *
* * * * *

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

    3. 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 2.22, 2.80, 
and 371.4.

[[Page 11561]]


    4. In Sec. 161.3, the last two sentences in paragraph (b) are 
revised to read as follows.


Sec. 161.3  Standards for accredited veterinarian duties.

* * * * *
    (b) * * * Certificates, forms, records, and reports shall be valid 
for 30 days following the date of inspection of the animal identified 
on the document, except that origin health certificates may be valid 
for a longer period of time as provided in Sec. 91.3(a) of this 
chapter. The accredited veterinarian must distribute copies of 
certificates, forms, records, and reports according to instructions 
issued to him or her by the Veterinarian-in-Charge.
* * * * *

    Done in Washington, DC, this 11th day of March 2002 .
W. Ron DeHaven,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 02-6266 Filed 3-14-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-U