[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 24, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 67019]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25611]


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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. 224 / Wednesday, November 24, 2021 / 
Notices  

[[Page 67019]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2021-0057]


Addition of the Kingdom of Bhutan 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 Kingdom of 
Bhutan 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 
Kingdom of Bhutan.

DATES: The Kingdom of Bhutan was added to the APHIS list of regions 
considered affected with ASF on June 2, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. John Grabau, Regionalization 
Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, 
Venture II, 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. 
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 27, 2021, the veterinary authorities of the Kingdom of 
Bhutan reported to the OIE the occurrence of ASF in that country. 
Therefore, in response to this outbreak, on June 2, 2021, APHIS added 
the Kingdom of Bhutan 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 Kingdom of Bhutan, 
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 18th day of November 2021.
Jack Shere,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-25611 Filed 11-23-21; 8:45 am]
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