[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 248 (Friday, December 27, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71358-71359]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27908]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2019-0065]


Addition of Serbia 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 Serbia 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 confirmation of ASF in Serbia.

DATES: Serbia was added to the APHIS list of regions considered 
affected with ASF on August 14, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ingrid Kotowski, Regionalization 
Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, 
Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; Phone: (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 region. Section 
94.8(a)(1) of the regulations specifies the criteria on

[[Page 71359]]

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 August 13, 2019, the veterinary authorities of Serbia reported 
to the OIE the occurrence of ASF in that country. Therefore, in 
response to this outbreak, on August 14, 2019, APHIS added Serbia to 
the list of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably believed to 
exist. This notice serves as an official record and public notification 
of that action.
    As a result, pork and pork products from Serbia, 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 20th day of December 2019.
Kevin Shea,
 Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-27908 Filed 12-26-19; 8:45 am]
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