Notice2025-00995
Addition of Panama and Costa Rica to the List of Regions Affected With Screwworm
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
January 16, 2025
Effective
July 12, 2021
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Abstract
We are advising the public that we have added Panama and Costa Rica to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) list maintained on the APHIS website of regions considered affected with screwworm. We took this action because of the confirmation of screwworm in these regions.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 10 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 10 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4715-4716]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00995]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2023-0062]
Addition of Panama and Costa Rica to the List of Regions Affected
With Screwworm
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have added Panama and Costa
Rica to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) list
maintained on the APHIS website of regions considered affected with
screwworm. We took this action because of the confirmation of screwworm
in these regions.
DATES: Panama was added to the list of regions considered affected with
screwworm effective July 12, 2021. Costa Rica was added to the list of
regions considered affected with screwworm effective August 21, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For information on Panama, contact: Dr. Michael Ray,
Regionalization Evaluation Services, Strategy and Policy, APHIS
Veterinary Services, 920 Main Campus Drive, Venture II Suite 200,
Raleigh, NC 27606; phone: (919) 855-7225; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#edac9e86bf888a8482838c8184978c99848283ad989e898cc38a829b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1d5c6e764f787a7472737c7174677c697472735d686e797c337a726b">[email protected]</span></a>.
For information on Costa Rica, contact: Dr. Rebecca Gordon, APHIS
Veterinary Services, Regionalization Evaluation Services, 920 Main
Campus Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; phone: (919) 338-4972;
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7e3f0d152c1b191711101f1217041f0a1711103e0b0d1a1f50191108"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1051637b427577797f7e717c796a7164797f7e50656374713e777f66">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 93 (referred
to below as the regulations) prohibit or restrict the importation of
certain animals into the United States to prevent the introduction of
communicable diseases of livestock. Subparts C, D, E, and F of the
regulations govern the importation of horses, ruminants, swine, and
dogs, respectively.
Horses, ruminants, swine, and dogs may be imported into the United
States from the regions where screwworm is considered to exist only if
they are inspected and, if necessary, treated for screwworm according
to the conditions outlined in the regulations for each type of animal.
The requirements for horses are set out in Sec. 93.308(a)(3) and
include not only pre-embarkation and post-arrival inspection and
treatment requirements, but also quarantine in the United States for 7
days after arrival, and examination by a veterinarian before release
from quarantine. The requirements for ruminants and swine are set out
in Sec. Sec. 93.405(a)(3) and 93.505(b), respectively, and are the
same as for horses, other than the 7-day quarantine and final
examination of the animal. The requirements for dogs are set out in
Sec. 93.600 and require that all dogs from affected regions be
inspected and, if necessary, treated before importation.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) maintains a
list of regions APHIS considers affected with screwworm on its 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 will add a region to the list upon determining that screwworm
exists in the region based on reports we receive of detections of the
pest 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 July 2, 2021, Panama reported a detection of New World screwworm
(Cochliomyia hominivorax) to WOAH. After that report, and after
confirming that the screwworm occurred in livestock, on July 12, 2021,
APHIS added Panama to the list of regions APHIS considers affected with
screwworm. In 2022, Panama requested that APHIS evaluate the country
for New World screwworm. APHIS concluded the evaluation in 2022 after
Panama reported additional detections of screwworm throughout the
country.
On July 17, 2023, Costa Rica reported a detection of New World
screwworm in a dog to WOAH. On July 24, 2023, APHIS responded by adding
Costa Rica
[[Page 4716]]
to the Temporary Restrictions list for the import of animal commodities
imported from or transiting Costa Rica. Subsequent follow-up reports to
WOAH, as well as epidemiological reports submitted to APHIS from Costa
Rica's National Service for Animal Health, indicated further detections
of screwworm in livestock, including cattle and sheep. Therefore, on
August 21, 2023, APHIS added Costa Rica to the list of regions APHIS
considers affected with screwworm.
As a result, horses, ruminants, swine, and dogs from Panama and
Costa Rica are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to
mitigate risk of screwworm introduction into the United States. This
notice serves as an official record and public notification of these
actions.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622 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 13th day of January 2025.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-00995 Filed 1-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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