[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 240 (Friday, December 14, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64313-64314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27068]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2016-0013]


Changes to the National Poultry Improvement Plan Program 
Standards

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of determination.

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SUMMARY: We are updating the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) 
Program Standards. In a previous notice, we made available to the 
public for review and comment proposed changes to the NPIP Program 
Standards pertaining to the compartmentalization of primary poultry 
breeding establishments and approval of compartment components such as 
farms, feedmills, hatcheries, and egg depots. These changes will be 
added to the NPIP Program Standards.

DATES: Applicable February 12, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Denise Heard, DVM, Senior 
Coordinator, National Poultry Improvement Plan, VS, APHIS, USDA, 1506 
Klondike Road, Suite 101, Conyers, GA 30094-5104; (770) 922-3496.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Poultry Improvement Plan 
(NPIP), also referred to below as ``the Plan,'' is a cooperative 
Federal-State-Industry mechanism for controlling certain poultry 
diseases. The Plan consists of a variety of programs intended to 
prevent and control poultry diseases.
    The regulations in 9 CFR parts 56, 145, 146, and 147 (referred to 
below as the regulations) contain the provisions of the Plan. The 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA, also referred to as ``the 
Department'') amends these provisions from time to time to incorporate 
new scientific information and technologies within the Plan.
    Because changes in diagnostic science, testing technology, and best 
practices for maintaining sanitation are continual, and the rulemaking 
process can be lengthy, certain provisions of the Plan are contained in 
an NPIP Program Standards document \1\ rather than in the regulations. 
The NPIP Program Standards may be updated or revised via a notice-based 
process rather than by rulemaking.
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    \1\ This document may be viewed on the NPIP website at http://www.poultryimprovement.org/documents/ProgramStandardsAugust2014.pdf, 
or by writing to the Service at National Poultry Improvement Plan, 
APHIS, USDA, 1506 Klondike Road, Suite 101, Conyers, GA 30094.
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    The regulations at 9 CFR 145.45, 145.74, and 145.84 provide the 
basis for compartmentalization of primary poultry breeding 
establishments. Compartmentalization is a procedure that a country may 
implement to define and manage animal subpopulations of distinct health 
status within its territory, in accordance with the guidelines in the 
World Organization for Animal Health

[[Page 64314]]

(OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code, for the purpose of disease 
control and international trade.
    On July 12, 2016, we published a notice \2\ in the Federal Register 
(81 FR 45121-45122, Docket No. APHIS-2016-0013) advising the public 
that we had prepared updates to the NPIP Program Standards. 
Specifically, we proposed to add provisions for compartmentalization of 
primary poultry breeding establishments and approval of compartment 
components, such as farms, feedmills, hatcheries, and egg depots. These 
proposed provisions included requirements for applying for 
compartmentalization of facilities and for facility design and 
management, as well as an outline of the auditing system APHIS proposed 
to use to evaluate compartments and their component operations.
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    \2\ To view the notice and comments we received, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0013.
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    We solicited comments for 30 days ending on August 11, 2016. We 
received six comments by that date. They were from poultry breeders and 
suppliers of breeding stock, egg producers, and veterinarians. All the 
commenters supported our proposed updates.
    We are making one minor editorial change to the 
compartmentalization provisions that we are adding to the NPIP Program 
Standards. Specifically, we are clarifying that visitors to farms, 
feedmills, hatcheries, and egg depots must agree in writing to follow 
company-established protocols regarding personal items and food.
    Therefore, we are updating the NPIP Program Standards as described 
in our previous notice and in this document.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with section 3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the information collection activities 
included in this notice will be approved by the Office of Management 
and Budget under control number 0579-0007.

E-Government Act Compliance

    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is committed to 
compliance with the E-Government Act to promote the use of the internet 
and other information technologies, to provide increased opportunities 
for citizen access to Government information and services, and for 
other purposes. For information pertinent to E-Government Act 
compliance related to this notice, please contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy, 
APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2483.

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

    Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of December 2018.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-27068 Filed 12-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P