Jim Rogers (301) 734-0603
Angela Harless (202) 720-4623
USDA CHANGES THE DISEASE STATUS OF ARMENIA
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2008--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 Armenia to the list of regions where African swine fever (ASF) exists. This rule is retroactive to Aug. 29, 2007.
APHIS is taking this action in response to several confirmed outbreaks of ASF in Armenia.
To prevent the introduction of ASF into the United States, USDA regulates the importation of pork or pork products from any country where the disease exists. Pork or pork products from those countries 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; and
(2) 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 and strict quarantine and inspection practices are required at U.S. ports of entry.
ASF 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 in the animal, 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 was published in the Jan. 7 Federal Register. Consideration will be given to comments received on or before March 7. Send an original and three copies of postal mail or commercial delivery comments to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0142, 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; and then click on “Submit.” In the Docket ID column, select APHIS-2007-0142 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.
#
Note to Reporters: USDA news releases, program announcements and media advisories are available on the Internet. Go to the APHIS news release page at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom. Also, anyone with an e-mail address can sign up to receive APHIS press releases automatically. Send an e-mail message to lyris@mdrdlyriss10.aphis.usda.gov and leave the subject blank. In the message, type
subscribe press_releases.