[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
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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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]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P