. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/590
17 May 2002
(02-2740)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service - APHIS
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):  Used farm equipment
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:
Regions affected with foot-and-mouth dis ease that export used farm equipment
5. Title, language  and number of pages of the notified document:  Importation of Used
Farm Equipment From Regions Affected With Foot-and-Mouth Disease (4 pages)
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is amending the
regulations concerning foot-and-mouth disease to prohibit the importation of used farm
equipment from regions affected with foot-and-mouth disease unless the equipment hasbeen steam-cleaned prior to export to the United States so that it is free of exposed dirt and
other particulate matter.  We are also providing that cleaned equipment that arrives at the
port of arrival with a minimal amount of exposed dirt may, under certain conditions, be
cleaned at the port of arrival.  This action is necessary to help prevent the introduction of
foot-and-mouth disease into the United States.
7. Objective and rationale:  [    ] food safety, [ X ] animal health, [   ] plant protection,
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [   ]  protect territory from other
damage from pests
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  This rulemaking is
necessary on an emergency basis to prevent the importation into the United States of dirty
equipment that has been used on farms that may be affected with FMD.  Because of the
highly transmissible nature of the disease, such equipment poses an unacceptable risk ofintroducing the FMD virus into the United States.
9. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [ X ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [   ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:G/SPS/N/USA/590
Page 2
10. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  67 FR 31935,
13 May 2002 (Available in English)
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  This interim rule is
effective retroactively to 31 March 2001.  APHIS will consider all comments that arepostmarked, delivered, or e-mailed by 12 July 2002.
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service  [   ] National notification authority, [   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax
number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   Detailed instruction on where
and how to send comments is in the body of the full text - which will be sent upon request
to the address in paragraph 13.
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority, [ X ]  National enquiry
point,  or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
United States SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Authority
USDA/FAS/FSTSD
ATTN: Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture BuildingStop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel:  (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677E-mail:  fstsd@fas.usda.gov