G/SPS/N/USA/2873  
 
25 July 2016  
(16-3934)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
1. Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Live sheep, goats, and certain other non-bovine 
ruminants 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document: Proposed Rule: Importation of Sheep, Goats, and 
Certain Other Ruminants (Docket # APHIS-2009-0095)  Language(s): English   
Number of pages: 21 
https://www.regulations.gov/do cument?D=APHIS-2009-0095-0001  
6. Description of content: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is  
proposing to amend the regulations that govern the importation of animals and animal 
products to revise the conditions for the importation of live sheep, goats, and certain other non-bovine ruminants, and products derived from sheep and goats, with regard to 
transmissible spongiform encephalopathies such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy 
(BSE) and scrapie. We are proposing to remove BSE-related import restrictions on sheep and goats and most of their products, and to add import restrictions related to 
transmissible spongiform encephalopathies for certain wild, zoological, or other non-
bovine ruminant species. The conditions we are proposing for the importation of specified commodities are based on internationally accepted scientific literature and will in general align our regulations with guidelines set out in the World Organization for 
Animal Health's Terrestrial Animal Health Code. 
Federal Register/Vol. 81, No. 137 /Monday, 18 July 2016/pgs. 46619-46639. 
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. Is there a relevant international st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial  n u m b e r  o f  C o d e x  
standard or related text)   
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)  Article 14.8.5 of the OIE Terrestrial 
Health Code  G/SPS/N/USA/2873 
 
- 2 - 
 
  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[X] Yes   [ ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:     
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable 
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 16 September 2016 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
You may submit comments by either of the following methods: 
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2009-0095 . 
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2009-0095, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, 
Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. 
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2009-0095 . 
For further information contact: 
For information concerning live animals, contact Dr Oriana Beemer, Veterinary Medical Officer, Animal Permitting and Negotiating Services, National Import Export Services, 
VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 39, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; +(301) 851 3300. 
For information regarding ruminant products and for other information regarding this 
proposed rule, contact Dr Christopher Robins on, Director, Animal Products Permitting 
and Negotiation Services, National Import Export Services, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, 
Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; +(301) 851 3300. 
13. Text(s) available from: [X] National Notifi cation Authority, [ ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
United States SPS National Notification Auth ority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1014, Washington D.C. 
20250; Tel: +(1 202) 720 1301; Fax: +(1 202) 720 0433; E-mail: 
us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov