Karen Eggert (301) 734-7280
Angela Harless (202) 720-4623
USDA CHANGES THE DISEASE STATUS OF THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2007--The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today issued an interim rule amending its animal import regulations by adding the Republic of Georgia to the list of regions where African swine fever exists. This rule is retroactive to June 5, 2007.
APHIS is taking this action due to several confirmed outbreaks of African swine fever in the Republic of Georgia. However, the Republic of Georgia has not requested recognition of equivalence in order to ship pork or any meat or poultry to the United States. To prevent the introduction of this disease into the United States, USDA regulates the importation of pork or pork products from any country where African swine fever exists. Other countries’ pork or pork products where African swine fever exists only can enter the United States if: (1) the product has been fully cooked by a commercial method in a container hermetically sealed promptly after filling but before such cooking, so that such cooking and sealing produced a fully-sterilized product which is shelf-stable without refrigeration; (2) and the processing establishment complies with the requirements for further processing of such pork or pork product by heat. In addition, a certificate accompanying the product as well as strict quarantine and inspection practices are required at U.S. ports of entry.
African swine fever is one of the most destructive diseases of pigs worldwide. It is a contagious, usually fatal viral disease of swine. The acute forms are characterized by high fever, reddening of the skin, pronounced hemorrhages in lymph nodes and internal organs and enlargement of the spleen. The disease does not affect other animals or people.
Notice of this action became effective June 5 and is published in the Sept. 18 Federal Register.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before Nov. 19. Send an original and three copies of postal mail or commercial delivery comments to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0108, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, Md. 20737-1238. Comments can be submitted on-line, go to the Federal eRulemaking portal at www.regulations.gov, select “Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service” from the agency drop-down menu; then click on “Submit.” In the Docket ID column, select APHIS-2007-0108 to submit or view public comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
Comments are posted on the regulations.gov Web site and also can be viewed at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th St. and Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Please call (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the comment reading room.
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