[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 184 (Monday, September 23, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49708-49709]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-20520]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2019-0047]
Addition of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the List
of Regions Affected With 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 the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the list of regions that the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service considers to be affected
with African swine fever (ASF). We have taken this action because of
the confirmation of ASF in the DPRK.
DATES: The DPRK was added to the APHIS list of regions considered
affected with ASF on June 5, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ingrid Kotowski, Regionalization
Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive,
Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; (919) 855-7732; email:
[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 African swine fever (ASF).
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) website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions/. This list
is referenced in Sec. 94.8(a)(2) of the regulations.
Section 94.8(a)(3) of the regulations states that APHIS will add a
region to the list referenced in Sec. 94.8(a)(2) upon determining ASF
exists in the region, based on reports APHIS receives of outbreaks of
the disease 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, or upon determining that
there is reason to believe the disease exists in the
[[Page 49709]]
region. Section 94.8(a)(1) of the regulations specifies the criteria on
which the Administrator bases the reason to believe ASF exists in a
region. Section 94.8(b) prohibits the importation of pork and pork
products from regions listed in accordance with Sec. 94.8 except if
processed and treated in accordance with the provisions specified in
that section or consigned to an APHIS-approved establishment for
further processing. Section 96.2 restricts the importation of swine
casings that originated in or were processed in a region where ASF
exists, as listed under Sec. 94.8(a).
On May 30, 2019, the veterinary authorities of the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) reported to the OIE the occurrence of
ASF in that country. Therefore, in response to this outbreak, on June
5, 2019, APHIS added the DPRK to the list of regions where ASF exists
or is reasonably believed to exist. This notice serves as official
record and public notification of that action.
As a result of that action, pork and pork products from the DPRK,
including casings, are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to
mitigate the risk of ASF introduction into the United States.
Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.),
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this action
as not a major rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 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 17th day of September 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-20520 Filed 9-20-19; 8:45 am]
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