Federal Register: December 31, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 251)
DOCID: FR Doc 02-33001
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
CFR Citation: 9 CFR Part 77
Docket ID: [Docket No. 02-021-3]
NOTICE: RULES
ACTION: Interstate transportation of animals and animal products (quarantine):
DOCUMENT ACTION: Interim Rule; delay of compliance date.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Tuberculosis in Cattle and Bison; State and Zone Designations; Texas: Delay of Compliance Date
DATES: The date for complying with certain requirements of 9 CFR 77.10 for sexually intact heifers, steers, and spayed heifers moving interstate from the State of Texas (see ``Tuberculosis in Cattle and Bison; State and Zone Designations; Texas,'' published in the Federal Register on June 6, 2002 [67 FR 3884138844, Docket No. 020211]) is September 30, 2003.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
In an interim rule amending the bovine tuberculosis
regulations to classify the State of Texas as modified accredited advanced, we delayed the date for compliance with certain
identification and certification requirements in those regulations
until January 1, 2003. In this action, we are further delaying the date
for compliance until September 30, 2003. This action will allow
affected parties additional time to make necessary preparations to
comply with certain requirements.
SUMMARY:
Tuberculosis in cattle and bison—; State and area classifications; compliance date delay,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Background
On June 6, 2002, we published an interim rule in the Federal
Register (67 FR 3884138844, Docket No. 020211) amending the bovine
tuberculosis regulations in 9 CFR part 77 regarding State and zone
classifications by removing the splitState status of Texas and
classifying the entire State as modified accredited advanced. Under [[Page 79837]]
the regulations in Sec. 77.10 for certain cattle or bison originating
in a modified accredited advanced State or zone, cattle or bison that
are not known to be infected with or exposed to tuberculosis must meet
certain identification, certification, and testing requirements prior to being moved interstate.
In the interim rule, we delayed, until January 1, 2003, the date
for compliance with the following interstate movement requirements for
the State of Texas, except for the former modified accredited advanced zone in El Paso and Hudspeth Counties, TX:
[sbull] The identification of sexually intact heifers moving to
approved feedlots and steers and spayed heifers (Sec. 77.10(b));
[sbull] The identification requirements for sexually intact heifers
moving to feedlots that are not approved feedlots (Sec. 77.10(d)); and
[sbull] Because identification is required for certification, the
certification requirements for sexually intact heifers moving to unapproved feedlots (Sec. 77.10(d)).
We delayed compliance of these requirements for two reasons. First, the size of the cattle industry in Texas necessitated additional time to implement the identification requirements of the regulations. These additional identification requirements would require obtaining identification devices, developing procedures and processes for numbering the identification devices, and possibly developing a new StateFederal system to record the identification, if the existing StateFederal system is not adequate. Second, some cattle that had begun moving through channels prior to the change in Texas' tuberculosis status would not have been identified at their premises of origin. We agreed with the State of Texas to allow those cattle to complete their movement through normal industry channels. We would then begin enforcing certain provisions of the regulations on cattle that would be identified at their premises of origin.
The State of Texas has requested that we extend the compliance date to allow State animal health officials and other affected parties additional time to make preparations for complying with the identification and certification requirements outlined above. As noted in the interim rule, the two affected herds were depopulated, and a complete epidemiological investigation into the potential sources of the disease was conducted. We heightened our surveillance activities at slaughtering plants in Texas and in surrounding States. Also, since the fall of 2001, no affected herds have been detected in the State of Texas. Based on comments that we received on the interim rule, it appears that the tuberculosis risk associated with the movement of nonbreeding cattle through channels to slaughter is low and that identification requirements for certain cattle destined for slaughter may be unnecessary. We are currently considering proposing changes to the regulations as a result of those comments. Therefore, we are further delaying the date for compliance with the identification and certification requirements of Sec. 77.10(b) and (d) until September 30, 2003. As stated in the interim rule, this delay in compliance does not apply to the movement of cattle from the former modified accredited advanced zone in El Paso and Hudspeth Counties, TX.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 83018317; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.
Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of December 2002. Peter Fernandez,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 0233001 Filed 123002; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 341034P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Dr. Joseph Van Tiem, Senior Staff Veterinarian, National Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 207371231; (301) 7347716.