Notice2023-03134
Addition of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of North Macedonia to the List of Regions Affected With African Swine Fever
Primary source
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Published
February 15, 2023
Effective
January 20, 2022
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Abstract
We are advising the public that we added the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of North Macedonia to the list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service considers to be affected by African swine fever (ASF). We have taken these actions because of confirmation of ASF in the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of North Macedonia.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9853-9854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03134]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2022-0028]
Addition of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of North
Macedonia 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 added the Kingdom of
Thailand and the Republic of North Macedonia to the list of regions
that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service considers to be
affected by African swine fever (ASF). We have taken these actions
because of confirmation of ASF in the Kingdom of Thailand and the
Republic of North Macedonia.
DATES: The Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of North Macedonia were
added to the list of regions APHIS considers to be affected with ASF,
effective respectively on January 20, 2022, and February 3, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding ASF
in the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of North Macedonia, contact
Dr. John Grabau, Regionalization Evaluation Services, Strategy and
Policy, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, Venture II,
Raleigh, NC 27606; phone: (919) 855-7225; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d796a4bc85b2b0beb8b9b6bbbeadb6a3beb8b997a2a4b3b6f9b0b8a1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e5a4968eb780828c8a8b84898c9f84918c8a8ba590968184cb828a93">[email protected]</span></a>.
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 <a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions/">https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions/</a>. 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 (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;
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 January 14, 2022, the veterinary authorities of the Kingdom of
Thailand reported to the WOAH an ASF occurrence in that country. On
January 20, 2022, in response to the outbreak, APHIS added the Kingdom
of Thailand to the list of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably
believed to exist. As a result, pork and pork products from the Kingdom
of Thailand, including casings, are subject to APHIS import
restrictions designed to mitigate the risk of ASF introduction into the
United States.
On January 10, 2022, the veterinary authorities of the Republic of
North Macedonia reported to the WOAH an ASF occurrence in that country.
On February 3, 2022, in response to the outbreak, APHIS added the
Republic of North Macedonia to the list of regions where ASF exists or
is reasonably believed to exist. As a result, pork and pork products
from the Republic of North Macedonia, including casings, are
[[Page 9854]]
subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate the risk of
ASF introduction into the United States.
With the publication of this notice, we are informing the public
that we added: The Kingdom of Thailand to the list of regions APHIS
considers to be affected with ASF, effective January 20, 2022, and the
Republic of North Macedonia to the list of regions APHIS considers to
be affected with ASF, effective February 3, 2022. This notice serves as
an official record and public notification of these actions.
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 February 2023.
Anthony Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-03134 Filed 2-14-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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