G/SPS/N/USA/2686  
 
30 July 2014  
(14-4392)  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): Pork and pork products 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries: Mexico  
5. Title of the notified document: Proposed Rule: Restrictions on the Importation of 
Fresh Pork and Pork Products from a Region in Mexico (Docket No. APHIS-2013-0061)  
Language(s): English  Number of pages: 7 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docu mentDetail;D=APH IS-2013-0061-0001  
6. Description of content: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
proposing to amend the regulations governin g the importation of animals and animal 
products to define a low-risk classical swine fever region in Mexico from which we would 
allow the importation of fresh pork and pork products under certain conditions. Under this proposed rule, such pork and pork products would have to be derived from swine 
raised on farms meeting stringent sanitary and biosecurity requirements. We would also 
provide safeguards against commingling of the swine and the pork and pork products 
with animals and products that do not meet our proposed requirements. Establishments 
that slaughter the swine from which the pork or pork products are derived would have to 
allow periodic inspection and evaluation of their facilities, records, and operations by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. This proposed rule would relieve some restrictions on the importation of pork and pork products from Mexico while continuing 
to protect against the introduction of classical swine fever into the United States. 
Federal Register Vol. 79, No. 145, Tuesday, 29 July 2014, pages 43974-43980. 
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 number of Codex 
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/2686 
 
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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 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 29 September 2014 
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-2013-0061 .  
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2013-0061, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station3A-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-2013-0061 . 
For further information contact Dr Chip Wells, Senior Staff Veterinarian, National Import 
Export Services, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; 
+(301) 851 3317. 
13. Texts available from: [X] National Notification 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