[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 182 (Thursday, September 21, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44156-44157]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20120]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0060]


Addition of Zimbabwe to the List of Regions Affected by Highly 
Pathogenic Avian Influenza

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we are adding Zimbabwe to the 
list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
considers to be affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). 
This action follows our imposition of HPAI-related restrictions on 
avian commodities originating from or transiting Zimbabwe as a result 
of the confirmation of HPAI in Zimbabwe.

DATES: Zimbabwe was added to the list of regions under temporary 
restrictions on June 1, 2017. Zimbabwe is added to the list of regions 
considered to be affected by HPAI as of September 21, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Javier Vargas, Import Risk 
Analyst, National Import Export Services, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, 
Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-3300; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred 
to below as the regulations) govern the importation of certain animals 
and animal products into the United States to prevent the introduction 
of various animal diseases, including Newcastle disease and highly 
pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The regulations prohibit or restrict 
the importation of live poultry, poultry meat, and other poultry 
products from regions where these diseases are considered to exist.

[[Page 44157]]

    Section 94.6 of part 94 of the regulations contains requirements 
governing the importation into the United States of carcasses, meat, 
parts or products of carcasses, and eggs (other than hatching eggs) of 
poultry, game birds, or other birds from regions of the world where 
HPAI exists or is reasonably believed to exist. HPAI is an extremely 
infectious and potentially fatal form of avian influenza in birds and 
poultry that, once established, can spread rapidly from flock to flock. 
A list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) considers affected with HPAI of any subtype is maintained on 
the 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 HPAI outbreaks from veterinary officials 
of the exporting country, from the World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), or from other sources the Administrator determines to be 
reliable. On June 1, 2017, the veterinary authorities of Zimbabwe 
reported to the OIE the confirmation of a highly pathogenic H5N8 strain 
of avian influenza in the Province of Mashonaland East that affected a 
commercial poultry breeding farm for broilers and layers with a total 
census of approximately 2 million birds.
    In response to that outbreak, APHIS placed restrictions on the 
importation of poultry, commercial birds, other types of birds 
(research, performing), ratites, any avian hatching eggs, unprocessed 
avian products and byproducts, and certain fresh poultry products from 
Zimbabwe to mitigate risk of HPAI introduction into the United States. 
Those restrictions went into effect on June 1, 2017. With the 
publication of this notice, we are adding Zimbabwe to the list of 
regions APHIS considers affected with HPAI of any subtype.

    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 18th day of September 2017.
Jere L. Dick,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-20120 Filed 9-20-17; 8:45 am]
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