G/SPS/N/USA/3181  
 
16 June 2020  
(20-4230) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AME RICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), United States 
Department of Agriculture (USDA)  
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 appl icable):  Meat, meat products, and other animal produce  
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:  Inspection of Yak and Other Bovidae, Cervidae, and 
Camelidae Species. . Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  3 
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/d5088b31 -040a-4c22-a68a-
649b63bf23fc/2019 -0028.pdf?MOD=AJPERES  
6. Description of c ontent:  The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to 
amend 9 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 352 to define yak and include it among 
the list of "exotic animals" eligible for voluntary inspection. This amendment will officially 
allow yak products to be voluntarily inspected and to bear the USDA voluntary mark of 
inspection.  
FSIS is also requesting comments on whether all farmed -raised species in the biological 
families Bovidae, Cervidae, and Camelidae, if not already subject to manda tory 
inspection, should be eligible for voluntary inspection, and whether any species in these 
families should be added to the list of amenable species requiring mandatory inspection. 
FSIS already requires mandatory inspection for several species of the Fa mily Bovidae 
(cattle, sheep, and goats).  
The Agency also provides voluntary inspection to several species of Bovidae not subject 
to mandatory inspection under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, as well as several species 
of Cervidae. These species include: reindeer, elk, deer, antelope, water buffalo, and bison.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   G/SPS/N/USA/3181  
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international standard? 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) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it d eviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
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) : 31 July 2020  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if avail able) of other body:   
FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this notice. Comments may be 
submitted by one of the following methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website 
provides the ability to type short comments directly into the comme nt field on this web 
page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/ .  
Follow the on -line instructions at that site for submitting comments. Mail, including CD -
ROMs, et c.: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and 
Inspection Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Room 6065, 
Washington, DC 20250 - 3700. Hand - or courier -delivered submittals: Deliver to 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250 -3700. Instructions: All 
items submitted by mail or electronic mail must include the Agency name and docket 
number FSIS -2019-0028.  
Comments received in response to this docket will be made available for public inspection 
and posted without change, including any personal information, to 
http://www.regulations.gov/ . 
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax n umber and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/d5088b31 -040a-4c22-a68a-
649b63bf23fc/2019 -0028.pdf?MOD=AJPERES  
United States SPS Na tional Notification Authority, 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