[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 27, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68580-68581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19177]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2024-0005]


Addition of Bangladesh, Montenegro, and Albania to the List of 
Regions Affected by 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 Bangladesh, 
Montenegro, and Albania to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) list maintained on the APHIS website of regions 
considered to be affected by African swine fever (ASF). We have taken 
this action because of the confirmation of ASF in these countries.

DATES: Bangladesh, Montenegro, and Albania were added to the list of 
regions APHIS considers to be affected with ASF, effective respectively 
on December 26, 2023, January 22, 2024, and March 1, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Bangladesh and Albania: Dr. 
La'Toya Lane, APHIS Veterinary Services, Regionalization Evaluation 
Services, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737; phone: (301) 550-1671; 
email: [email protected]. For Montenegro: Dr. Heather 
Sriranganathan, APHIS Veterinary Services, Regionalization Evaluation 
Services, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737; phone: (717) 818-3582, 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred 
to below as the regulations) govern the importation of certain animals 
and animal products into the United States to prevent the introduction 
of various animal diseases, including African swine fever (ASF). ASF is 
a highly contagious disease of wild and domestic swine that can spread 
rapidly 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 or having reason to believe the disease 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 (WOAH),\1\ 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).
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    \1\ The World Organization for Animal Health internationally 
follows a British English spelling of ``organisation'' in its name; 
also, it was formerly the Office International des Epizooties, or 
OIE, but on May 28, 2022, the Organization announced that the 
acronym was changed from OIE to WOAH.
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    On December 21, 2023, the veterinary authorities of Bangladesh 
reported to the WOAH the occurrence of ASF in that country. In response 
to that report, on December 26, 2023, APHIS added Bangladesh to the 
list of regions where ASF exists or the Administrator has reason to 
believe that ASF exists, in compliance with Sec.  94.8(a)(3). This 
notice serves as an official record and public notification of that 
action.
    On January 17, 2024, the veterinary authorities of Montenegro 
reported to the WOAH the occurrence of ASF in that country. In response 
to that report, on January 22, 2024, APHIS added Montenegro to the list 
of regions where ASF exists or the Administrator has reason to believe 
that ASF exists, in compliance with Sec.  94.8(a)(3). This notice 
serves as an official record and public notification of that action.
    On February 26, 2024, the veterinary authorities of Albania 
reported to the WOAH the occurrence of ASF in that country. In response 
to that report, on March 1, 2024, APHIS added Albania to the list of 
regions where ASF exists or the Administrator has reason to believe ASF 
exist, in compliance with Sec.  94.8(a)(3). This notice serves as an 
official record and public notification of that action.
    As a result, pork and pork products from Bangladesh, Montenegro, 
and Albania, including casings, are subject to APHIS import 
restrictions designed to

[[Page 68581]]

mitigate the risk of ASF introduction into the United States.
    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 6th day of August 2024.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-19177 Filed 8-26-24; 8:45 am]
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