Notice2023-24347
Addition of Belarus to the List of Regions Affected With Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 3, 2023
Effective
August 22, 2023
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Abstract
We are advising the public that we added Belarus to the list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service considers to be affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). This action follows our imposition of HPAI-related restrictions on avian commodities originating from or transiting Belarus, as a result of reports of HPAI in that country.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 212 (Friday, November 3, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 212 (Friday, November 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 75538]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24347]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2023-0068]
Addition of Belarus to the List of Regions Affected With Highly
Pathogenic Avian Influenza
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we added Belarus to the list
of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
considers to be affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
This action follows our imposition of HPAI-related restrictions on
avian commodities originating from or transiting Belarus, as a result
of reports of HPAI in that country.
DATES: Belarus was added to the list of regions APHIS considers to be
affected with HPAI, effective on August 22, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Heather Sriranganathan, APHIS
Veterinary Services, Regionalization Evaluation Services, 4700 River
Road, Riverdale, MD 20747; phone: (717) 818-3582; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#69281a023b0c0e00060708050013081d000607291c1a0d08470e061f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5716243c0532303e3839363b3e2d36233e3839172224333679303821">[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 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),\1\ or from other sources the Administrator determines to be
reliable.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On August 22, 2023, APHIS added Belarus to the list of regions
where HPAI exists based on credible media and interagency reports of
HPAI outbreaks in poultry in Belarus. On that same day, APHIS issued an
import alert notifying stakeholders that APHIS imposed restrictions on
the importation of poultry, commercial birds, ratites, avian hatching
eggs, unprocessed avian products and byproducts, and certain fresh
poultry commodities from Belarus to mitigate risk of HPAI introduction
into the United States.
With the publication of this notice, we are informing the public
that we added Belarus to the list of regions APHIS considers affected
with HPAI of any subtype, effective August 22, 2023. This notice serves
as an official record and public notification of this action.
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 30th day of October 2023.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-24347 Filed 11-2-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on November 3, 2023.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.