Voglio sapere a riguardo di…

67661

Proposed Rules
Federal Register Vol. 86, No. 226
Monday, November 29, 2021

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains notices to the public of the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 9 CFR Part 93
Docket No. APHIS20160033
RIN 0579AE62

Import Regulations for Horses Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:

We are proposing to amend the regulations for the importation of equines. These changes include increasing the number of days horses exported from regions free from contagious equine metritis CEM are allowed to spend in a CEM-affected region and re-enter the United States without testing from 60 days to 90 days;
requiring an import permit for horses transiting through CEM-affected regions;
adding requirements for health certifications to ensure health certifications properly attest to the health of the imported horse; removing the requirement that horses permanently imported from Canada undergo inspection at the port of entry;
requiring that horses transiting Central America or the West Indies comply with the same regulations that apply to horses directly imported from these regions; and adding requirements for shipping containers used in transporting horses. We are also proposing a number of miscellaneous changes to the regulations such as clarifications of existing policy or intent, and corrections of inconsistencies or outdated information. Many of these proposed changes would better align our regulations with international standards and allow us and the equine industry more flexibility. The proposed changes would also add further safeguards that protect against introducing or disseminating pests or diseases of livestock into the United States.

khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS

SUMMARY:

VerDate Sep<11>2014

15:59 Nov 26, 2021

Jkt 256001

We will consider all comments that we receive on or before January 28, 2022.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS
20160033 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
APHIS20160033, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 207371238.
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at www.regulations.gov or in our reading room, which is located in Room 1620 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call 202 7997039
before coming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Iwona Popkowski, VS Strategy and Policy, Live Animal Imports, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 39, Riverdale, MD 207371231; 301 851
3300.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:

Background Under the Animal Health Protection Act AHPA, 7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq., the Secretary of Agriculture may prohibit or restrict the importation or entry of any animal, article, or means of conveyance if the Secretary determines that the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent the introduction into or dissemination within the United States of any pest or disease of livestock. The AHPA also authorizes the Secretary to prohibit or restrict the use of any means of conveyance in connection with the importation or entry of livestock if the Secretary determines that the prohibition or restriction is necessary because the means of conveyance has not been maintained in a clean and sanitary condition or does not have accommodations for the safe and proper movement of livestock.
The regulations in 9 CFR part 93
referred to below as the regulations prohibit or restrict the importation of
PO 00000

Frm 00001

Fmt 4702

Sfmt 4702

certain animals, including horses, as well as their means of conveyance, pursuant to the AHPA. We are proposing a number of changes to the horse import regulations to better align them with international standards and improve flexibility for both the equine industry and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service APHIS.
Contagious Equine Metritis In 93.301, paragraph e3 contains the requirements for testing and treatment of stallions, and paragraph e5 the testing and treatment requirements for mares, that are imported from regions where contagious equine metritis CEM exists after the stallions or mares have entered quarantine in an approved State. Both paragraphs specify the specimens that must be taken for testing; however, while paragraph e5 requires that the samples from mares be collected by an accredited veterinarian, paragraph e3
does not require that samples from stallions be collected by an accredited veterinarian. To correct this inconsistency, we are proposing to amend paragraph e3i to require that the samples from stallions be collected by an accredited veterinarian.
Paragraph e3iB describes CEM
testing procedures for mares to which stallions are test bred and includes the numbers of days after breeding certain procedures should occur. In order to facilitate accurate counting and eliminate confusion about whether the first day should be considered the day of breeding or the day after breeding, we are proposing to add language clarifying that the day after the date of breeding should be considered the first day.
Paragraph e4 contains requirements for mares used to test stallions for CEM. Currently, the regulations state that test mares used for such testing must be marked with the letter T. To allow for greater flexibility, we are proposing to add the phrase or other permanent identification approved by APHIS to this requirement. Importers interested in using other means of permanent identification would be able to contact APHIS Live Animal Imports by email at VS.CEM.DATA@usda.gov to seek approval.
Paragraph g contains special provisions for the importation of horses that have been temporarily exported to a region where CEM exists. Currently,
E:FRFM29NOP1.SGM

29NOP1