Addition of Burma (Myanmar) to the List of Regions Affected With African Swine Fever

• Published date: 27 December 2019
• Citation: 84 FR 71358
• Record Number: 2019-27910
• Section: Notices
• Court: Agriculture Department,Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register, Volume 84 Issue 248 (Friday, December 27, 2019)

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 248 (Friday, December 27, 2019)]
                [Notices]
                [Page 71358]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2019-27910]
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                DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
                Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
                [Docket No. APHIS-2019-0066]
                Addition of Burma (Myanmar) 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 Burma (Myanmar)
                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 Burma
                (Myanmar).
                DATES: Burma (Myanmar) was added to the APHIS list of regions
                considered affected with ASF on August 19, 2019.
                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ingrid Kotowski, Regionalization
                Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive,
                Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; Phone: (919) 855-7732; 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 August 14, 2019, the veterinary authorities of Burma (Myanmar)
                reported to the OIE the occurrence of ASF in that country. Therefore,
                in response to this outbreak, on August 19, 2019, APHIS added Burma
                (Myanmar) to the list of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably
                believed to exist. This notice serves as an official record and public
                notifications of that action.
                 As a result, pork and pork products from Burma (Myanmar), including
                casings, are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate
                the risk of ASF introduction into the United States.
                 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 20th day of December 2019.
                Kevin Shea,
                 Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
                [FR Doc. 2019-27910 Filed 12-26-19; 8:45 am]
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