[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 12 (Thursday, January 19, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 6482]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-01270]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2016-0093]


Addition of Moldova to the List of Regions Affected by African 
Swine Fever

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have added Moldova to the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) list maintained on 
the APHIS Web site of regions considered affected with African swine 
fever (ASF). We are taking this action because of the confirmation of 
ASF in Moldova.

DATES: Effective Date: The addition of Moldova to the APHIS list of 
regions considered affected with ASF is effective retroactively to 
October 4, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Donald Link, Microbiologist/Import 
Risk Analyst, National Import Export Services, VS, 920 Main Campus 
Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; (919) 855-7731; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred 
to below as the regulations) govern the importation of specified 
animals and animal products to prevent the introduction into the United 
States of various animal diseases, including rinderpest, foot-and-mouth 
disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, swine vesicular disease, 
classical swine fever, and African swine fever (ASF). These are 
dangerous and destructive diseases of ruminants and swine.
    Sections 94.8 and 94.17 of part 94 of the regulations contain 
requirements governing the importation into the United States of pork 
and pork products from regions of the world where ASF exists or is 
reasonably believed to exist and imposes restrictions on the 
importation of pork and pork products into the United States from those 
regions. ASF is a highly contagious disease of wild and domestic swine 
that can spread rapidly in swine populations with extremely high rates 
of morbidity and mortality. A list of regions where ASF exists or is 
reasonably believed to exist is maintained on the Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Web site at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/ct_animal_disease_status.
    APHIS receives notice of ASF outbreaks from veterinary officials of 
the exporting country, from the World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), or from other publically available sources the Administrator 
determines to be reliable. In a report dated October 4, 2016, the 
veterinary authorities of Moldova reported to the OIE confirmation of 
an ASF outbreak in the Donduseni District of Moldova.
    Although Moldova does not currently export pork or pork products to 
the United States, APHIS has determined that it is necessary to impose 
restrictions on the importation of pork and pork products from Moldova 
into the United States. Therefore, in response to this outbreak, APHIS 
added Moldova to the list of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably 
believed to exist.
    As a result, pork and pork products from Moldova are subject to 
APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate the risk of ASF 
introduction into the United States. These restrictions are effective 
retroactively to October 4, 2016.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 7701-7772, 7781-7786, and 8301-8317; 21 
U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 12th day of January 2017.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-01270 Filed 1-18-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P