[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 7, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38589-38590]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16902]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2018-0095]


Addition of Scotland to the List of Regions Classified as Having 
Controlled Risk for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have added Scotland, a 
region within the United Kingdom, to our list of regions classified as 
having controlled risk for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and 
have removed Scotland from our list of regions considered negligible 
risk for BSE. We are taking this action because of the confirmation of 
classical C-type BSE in an indigenous cow in Scotland.

DATES: The case of BSE in Scotland was confirmed on October 18, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Rebecca Gordon, Import Risk 
Analyst, Strategy and Policy, VS, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, Suite 
200, Raleigh, NC 27606; (919) 855-7741; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    The regulations in 9 CFR part 92 subpart B, ``Importation of 
Animals and Animal Products; Procedures for Requesting BSE Risk Status 
Classification With Regard To Bovines'' (referred to below as the 
regulations), set forth the process by which the Animal

[[Page 38590]]

and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) classifies regions for 
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) risk. Section 92.5 of the 
regulations provides that all countries of the world are considered by 
APHIS to be in one of three BSE risk categories: Negligible risk, 
controlled risk, or undetermined risk. These risk categories are 
defined in Sec.  92.1. Any region that is not classified by APHIS as 
presenting either negligible risk or controlled risk for BSE is 
considered to present an undetermined risk. The list of those regions 
classified by APHIS as having either negligible risk or controlled risk 
can be accessed on the APHIS website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions. The list can also be 
obtained by writing to APHIS at Strategy and Policy, 4700 River Road 
Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737.
    Under Sec.  92.5(c)(2) of the regulations, if APHIS at any time 
determines that a region no longer meets the criteria for the risk 
classification it had previously received, APHIS will remove the region 
from its list of regions so classified. If the World Organization for 
Animal Health (OIE) determines the region no longer meets the criteria 
for the risk classification it had previously received, APHIS may 
concur with the OIE determination or may request updated information 
from the region and determine whether to concur with the OIE decision.
    On October 19, 2018, the veterinary authority of the United Kingdom 
reported that Scotland had a case of classical C-type BSE in a 5 year-
old indigenous cow; the BSE case was confirmed on October 18, 2018. As 
a result of this finding, the OIE suspended Scotland's negligible risk 
status effective October 2, 2018.
    Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in Sec.  92.5(c)(2) 
and in concurrence with the OIE's suspension of Scotland's negligible 
risk status, we have removed Scotland from our list of regions 
considered to be negligible risk for BSE and added Scotland to the list 
of regions classified by APHIS as having controlled risk for BSE.
    Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this rule 
as not a major rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622 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 31st day of July 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-16902 Filed 8-6-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P