[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73720-73721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-28054]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2021-0065]


Addition of the Dominican Republic 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 Dominican 
Republic 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 
Dominican Republic.

DATES: The Dominican Republic was added to the APHIS list of regions 
considered affected with ASF on July 28, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Michael Ray, Regionalization 
Evaluation Services, Strategy and Policy, APHIS Veterinary Services, 
920 Main Campus Drive, Venture II, Raleigh, NC 27606; phone: (919) 855-
7225; 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

[[Page 73721]]

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 state 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).
    APHIS added the Dominican Republic to the list of regions where ASF 
exists or is reasonably believed to exist on July 28, 2021, following 
notification by the Dominican Republic of samples obtained from swine 
that had tested positive for ASF. On July 29, 2021, the veterinary 
authorities of the Dominican Republic reported to the OIE the 
occurrence of ASF in that country. This notice serves as an official 
record and public notification of the APHIS action.
    As a result, pork and pork products from the Dominican Republic, 
including casings, are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to 
mitigate the risk of ASF introduction into the United States, effective 
July 28, 2021.

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 21st day of December 2021.
Mark Davidson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-28054 Filed 12-27-21; 8:45 am]
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