G/SPS/N/USA/2784  
 
18 September 2015  
(15-4820)  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: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
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): Sheep and goats 
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: Scrapie in Sheep and Goats  Language(s): English   
Number of pages: 34 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docu mentDetail;D=APH IS-2007-0127-0001  
6. Description of content: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to 
amend the scrapie regulations by changing th e risk groups and categories established 
for individual animals and for flocks, increasing the use of genetic testing as a means of 
assigning risk levels to animals, reducing movement restrictions for animals found to be 
genetically less susceptible or resistant to scrapie, and simplifying, reducing, or removing certain recordkeeping requirements. It also proposes to provide designated 
scrapie epidemiologists with more alternatives and flexibility when testing animals in 
order to determine flock designations under the regulations. APHIS proposes to change 
the definition of high-risk animal, which will change the types of animals eligible for 
indemnity, and to pay higher indemnity for certain pregnant ewes and early maturing 
ewes. The proposed changes would also make the identification and recordkeeping requirements for goat owners consistent with those for sheep owners. These changes would affect sheep and goat producers, persons who handle sheep and goats in 
interstate commerce, and State governments. 
Federal Register Vol. 80, No. 175 Thursday, 10 September 2015, pgs. 54660-54692 
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)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    G/SPS/N/USA/2784 
 
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  [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) : 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) : 9 November 2015 
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:  
Dr Diane Sutton, National Scrapie Program Coordinator, Sheep, Goat, Cervid & Equine 
Health Center, Surveillance, Preparedness and Response Services, VS, APHIS, 4700 
River Road, Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 20737-1235; +(301) 851 3509. 
You may submit comments by either of the following methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2007-0127 .  
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0127, 
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-2007-0127 . 
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