G/SPS/N/USA/2808  
 
18 December 2015  
(15-6746)  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): Ruminant and ruminant products 
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: Brucellosis and Bovine Tuberculosis; 
Update of General Provisions (Docket # APHIS-2011-0044)  Language(s): English   
Number of pages: 60 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docu mentDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0044-0044 
6. Description of content: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
proposing to consolidate the regulations governing bovine tuberculosis, and those 
governing brucellosis. As part of this consolidation, we are proposing to transition the 
tuberculosis and brucellosis programs away from a State classification system based in disease prevalence. Instead, States and Tr ibes would implement animal health plans 
that identify sources of the diseases within the State or Tribal lands and specify 
mitigations to address the risk posed by th ose sources. The consolidated regulations 
would also set forth standards for surveillance, epidemiological investigations, and 
affected herd management that must be incorporated into each animal health plan, with 
certain limited exceptions; would provide revised conditions for the interstate movement of cattle, bison, and captive cervids; and would provide revised conditions for APHIS approval of tests, testing laboratories, and testers for bovine tuberculosis or brucellosis. 
Finally, we are proposing to revise the bovine tuberculosis- and brucellosis-related 
import requirements for cattle and bison to make these requirements clearer and assure that they more effectively mitigate the risk of introduction of these diseases into the 
United States. APHIS is making this proposed rule available to the public for review and 
comment. 
Federal Register/Vol. 80, No. 241/Wednesday, 16 December 2015/pgs. 78462-78520 
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)   G/SPS/N/USA/2808 
 
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  [ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[X] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[ ] 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) : To be determined. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 15 March 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-2011-0044.  
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2011-0044, 
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-2011-0044  
Domestic regulatory provisions: Dr C. William Hench, Senior Staff Veterinarian, 
Ruminant Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building B-3E20, Fort 
Collins, CO 80526-8117; (970) 4947378. Import-related regulatory provisions: Dr. Langston Hull, National Import Export Services, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 39, Riverdale, MD 20737; +(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