Notice2023-11575
Addition of Gabon, Guinea, and Moldova to the List of Regions Affected With Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
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Published
June 1, 2023
Effective
May 23, 2022
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Abstract
We are advising the public that we added Gabon, Guinea, and Moldova to the list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service considers to be affected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). These actions follow our imposition of HPAI- related restrictions on the importation of avian commodities originating from or transiting Gabon, Guinea, and Moldova as a result of the confirmation of HPAI in Gabon and Guinea, and reports of HPAI from the veterinary authorities of Moldova in the country.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 105 (Thursday, June 1, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 105 (Thursday, June 1, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 35826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11575]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2022-0047]
Addition of Gabon, Guinea, and Moldova to the List of Regions
Affected With Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we added Gabon, Guinea, and
Moldova to the list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service considers to be affected with highly pathogenic
avian influenza (HPAI). These actions follow our imposition of HPAI-
related restrictions on the importation of avian commodities
originating from or transiting Gabon, Guinea, and Moldova as a result
of the confirmation of HPAI in Gabon and Guinea, and reports of HPAI
from the veterinary authorities of Moldova in the country.
DATES: Gabon, Guinea, and Moldova were added to the list of regions
APHIS considers to be affected with HPAI, effective respectively on May
23, 2022; June 8, 2022; and January 31, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding HPAI
in Gabon and Moldova, contact Dr. C. Aaron Monroy, Regionalization
Evaluation Services, Strategy and Policy, VS, 920 Main Campus Drive,
Venture II, Raleigh, NC 27606; phone: (919) 855-7207; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eeaf9d85bc8b898781808f8287948f9a878180ae9b9d8a8fc0898198"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="327341596057555b5d5c535e5b4853465b5d5c72474156531c555d44">[email protected]</span></a>. For further information regarding HPAI in
Guinea, contact Dr. Ingrid Kotowski, Regionalization Evaluation
Services, Strategy and Policy, VS, 920 Main Campus Drive, Venture II,
Raleigh, NC 27606; phone: (919) 855-7732; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#96d7e5fdc4f3f1fff9f8f7faffecf7e2fff9f8d6e3e5f2f7b8f1f9e0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b7f6c4dce5d2d0ded8d9d6dbdecdd6c3ded8d9f7c2c4d3d699d0d8c1">[email protected]</span></a>.
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 Newcastle disease and highly
pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The regulations prohibit or restrict
the importation of live poultry, poultry meat, and other poultry
products from regions where these diseases are considered to exist.
Section 94.6 of the regulations contains requirements governing the
importation into the United States of carcasses, meat, parts or
products of carcasses, and eggs (other than hatching eggs) of poultry,
game birds, or other birds from regions of the world where HPAI exists
or is reasonably believed to exist. HPAI is an extremely infectious and
potentially fatal form of avian influenza in birds and poultry that,
once established, can spread rapidly from flock to flock. The Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) maintains a list of
restricted regions it considers to be affected with HPAI of any subtype
on the 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>.
APHIS receives notice of HPAI outbreaks from veterinary officials
of the exporting country, from the World Organization for Animal Health
(WOAH) or from other sources the Administrator determines to be
reliable.
On May 19, 2022, the veterinary authorities of Gabon reported to
WOAH an HPAI occurrence in that country. On May 23, 2022, after
confirming that the HPAI occurred in commercial birds or poultry, APHIS
added Gabon to the list of regions where HPAI exists. On that same day,
APHIS issued an import alert notifying stakeholders that APHIS imposed
restrictions on the importation of poultry, commercial birds, other
types of birds (research, performing), ratites, any avian hatching
eggs, unprocessed avian products and byproducts, and certain fresh
poultry products from Gabon to mitigate risk of HPAI introduction into
the United States.
On June 3, 2022, the veterinary authorities of Guinea reported to
WOAH an HPAI occurrence in that country. On June 8, 2022, after
confirming that the HPAI occurred in commercial birds or poultry, APHIS
added Guinea to the list of regions where HPAI exists. On that same
day, APHIS issued an import alert notifying stakeholders that APHIS
imposed restrictions on the importation of poultry, commercial birds,
other types of birds (research, performing), ratites, any avian
hatching eggs, unprocessed avian products and byproducts, and certain
fresh poultry products originating from or transiting Guinea to
mitigate risk of HPAI introduction into the United States.
On January 24, 2022, the veterinary authorities of Moldova reported
to WOAH an HPAI occurrence in that country. On January 31, 2022, APHIS
provisionally added Moldova to the list of regions where HPAI exists,
pending a request for information. On that same day, APHIS issued an
import alert notifying stakeholders that APHIS imposed restrictions on
the importation of poultry, commercial birds, other types of birds
(research, performing), ratites, any avian hatching eggs, unprocessed
avian products and byproducts, and certain fresh poultry products
originating from or transiting Moldova to mitigate risk of HPAI
introduction into the United States. On February 25, 2022, after
receiving insufficient information from Moldova, APHIS determined that
removal of Moldova from the list of regions where HPAI exists would
require a formal re-evaluation pursuant to Sec. 92.4.
With the publication of this notice, we are informing the public
that we added: Gabon to the list of regions APHIS considers to be
affected with HPAI of any subtype, effective May 23, 2022; Guinea to
the list of regions APHIS considers to be affected with HPAI of any
subtype, effective June 8, 2022; and Moldova to the list of regions
APHIS considers to be affected with HPAI of any subtype, effective
January 31, 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 25th day of May 2023.
Michael Watson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-11575 Filed 5-31-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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