[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 48 (Monday, March 15, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 14301]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-05275]


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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. 86, No. 48 / Monday, March 15, 2021 / 
Notices  

[[Page 14301]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2020-0011]


Addition of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste 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 
Republic of Timor-Leste 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 the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.

DATES: The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste was added to the APHIS 
list of regions considered affected with ASF on September 30, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. John Grabau, Regionalization 
Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, 
Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; (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 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 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 September 27, 2019, the veterinary authorities of the Democratic 
Republic of Timor-Leste reported to the OIE the occurrence of ASF in 
that country. Therefore, in response to this outbreak, on September 30, 
2019, APHIS added the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste 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 the Democratic Republic of 
Timor-Leste, 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 9th day of March 2021.
Mark Davidson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-05275 Filed 3-12-21; 8:45 am]
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