[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 6322-6323]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-2507]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 78

[Docket No. APHIS-2009-0083]
RIN 0579-AD22


Brucellosis Class Free States and Certified Brucellosis-Free 
Herds; Revisions to Testing and Certification Requirements

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Interim rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are extending the comment period for an interim rule 
modifying brucellosis testing, classification, and certification 
requirements for certain Class Free States. This action will allow 
interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
11, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2009-0083 to submit or view comments and 
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send one copy of 
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2009-0083, Regulatory Analysis and 
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to 
Docket No. APHIS-2009-0083.
    Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this 
docket in our reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of 
the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to 
help you, please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.
    Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its 
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Debbi Donch, National Brucellosis 
Program Staff, National Center for Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS,

[[Page 6323]]

4700 River Road, Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-6954.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 27, 2010, we published in the 
Federal Register (75 FR 81090-81096, Docket No. APHIS-2009-0083) an 
interim rule that amended the brucellosis regulations to reduce the 
amount of testing required to maintain Class Free status for States 
that have been Class Free for 5 or more years and that also have no 
Brucella abortus in wildlife. The interim rule also removed the 
provision for automatic reclassification of any Class Free State or 
area to a lower status if two or more herds are found to have 
brucellosis within a 2-year period or if a single brucellosis-affected 
herd is not depopulated within 60 days. Further, the interim rule 
reduced the age at which cattle are included in herd blood tests. The 
interim rule also added a requirement that any Class Free State or area 
with Brucella abortus in wildlife must develop and implement a 
brucellosis management plan approved by the Administrator in order to 
maintain Class Free status. Finally, the interim rule provided an 
alternative testing protocol for maintaining the certified brucellosis-
free status of dairy herds, which will give producers more flexibility 
for the herd certification process.
    Comments on the interim rule were currently required to be received 
on or before February 25, 2011. We are extending the comment period on 
Docket No. APHIS-2009-0083 for an additional 14 days. This action will 
allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit 
comments.

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 8301-8317; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 31st day of January 2011.
Gregory L. Parham,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-2507 Filed 2-3-11; 8:45 am]
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