[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 190 (Wednesday, September 30, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 61718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21603]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 190 / Wednesday, September 30, 2020 /
Notices
[[Page 61718]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2020-0064]
Addition of Papua New Guinea 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 Papua New Guinea
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 Papua New
Guinea.
DATES: Papua New Guinea was added to the APHIS list of regions
considered affected with ASF on April 1, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. John Grabau, Regionalization
Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive,
Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606. Phone: (919) 855-7738; 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 introduction into the United
States of various animal diseases, including African swine fever (ASF).
ASF is a highly contagious animal disease of wild and domestic swine.
It 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 which the
Administrator bases the reason to believe ASF exists in a region.
Section 94.8(b) prohibits 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. In
9 CFR 96.2, there are requirements for 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 March 30, 2020, the veterinary authorities of Papua New Guinea
reported to the OIE the occurrence of ASF in that country. This
confirmation of the ASF outbreak supported APHIS' action on April 1,
2020, adding Papua New Guinea 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 Papua New Guinea,
including casings, are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to
mitigate the risk of ASF introduction into the United States.
Congressional Review Act
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 25th day of September 2020.
Mark Davidson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-21603 Filed 9-29-20; 8:45 am]
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