This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

63227

Vol. 65, No. 205

Monday, October 23, 2000

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. 00–066–1]

Declaration of Emergency Because of

Bovine Tuberculosis

Bovine tuberculosis (tuberculosis) is a

chronic debilitating disease caused by

Mycobacterium bovis. The disease

primarily affects cattle but can be

transmitted to humans and other

animals. The Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service (APHIS) is working

cooperatively with the national

livestock industry and State animal

health agencies to eradicate tuberculosis

from domestic livestock in the United

States and, through continued

monitoring and surveillance, to prevent

its recurrence.

Scientific analysis has recently

identified significant tuberculosis

threats that could lead to the spread of

the disease in the United States and

compromise international and domestic

trade in U.S. animals and animal

products. These outcomes would

threaten producers with losses and

consumers with price increases.

The emerging tuberculosis threats

include the transmission of tuberculosis

to livestock from infected wildlife,

especially free-ranging deer. Scientific

evidence suggests that infected freeranging deer are transmitting the disease

to nearby cattle. Such transmission was

recently identified in Michigan, with

eight herds of cattle becoming infected

with tuberculosis by free-ranging deer.

Despite efforts by the State of Michigan

to contain tuberculosis-infected wildlife

to limited areas, program officials in

Michigan subsequently discovered

infected deer 75 miles outside the

containment zone. This situation is

threatening all interstate movement of

cattle from Michigan due to concerns

that cattle in that State might be

exposed to infected deer.

Transmission of tuberculosis from

wildlife also threatens cervids held in

captivity for production. Infected

captive cervids, in turn, pose a threat to

cattle and other livestock. It is not

currently known how prevalent

tuberculosis is in captive cervids,

because APHIS does not have the

resources to conduct area testing of

captive cervids.

Additionally, the U.S. cattle

population is being threatened by

recurring tuberculosis infection of dairy

herds in the El Paso, TX, area. Recent

studies have indicated that the greatest

risk of reinfection in the El Paso area

comes from the U.S. dairy herds’

proximity to tuberculosis-infected dairy

herds in Juarez, Mexico. Despite

ongoing testing of large dairy herds in

the El Paso area and removal of

tuberculosis-infected animals from

those herds, reinfection of U.S. dairy

herds in that area continues to occur.

Although depopulation of dairy herds in

the El Paso area along the U.S./Mexican

border is the most dependable method

of protecting U.S. livestock from

recurring tuberculosis infection in that

area of Texas, depopulation of large U.S.

dairy herds has not been a viable option

because APHIS has lacked the resources

to pay indemnity for depopulated herds.

A decline in testing for tuberculosis in

recent years also threatens to allow the

spread of the disease in the United

States. As the number of tuberculosisfree States has increased, limitations on

Federal resources have in many cases

led Department inspectors to take

samples only from those animals

exhibiting obvious signs of tuberculosis.

The number of samples taken from

cattle at slaughter for testing for

tuberculosis has decreased from

approximately 4,000 in 1995 to 900 in

1999. However, APHIS estimates that

10,000 sample submissions are needed

each year to adequately survey the U.S.

cattle population for tuberculosis.

APHIS needs additional funds both to

provide assistance in taking the number

of samples at slaughter necessary for

adequate surveillance and to increase

testing capacity at the Department’s

National Veterinary Services

Laboratories.

Therefore, in order to address the

tuberculosis threat to U.S. livestock,

APHIS has determined that it is

necessary to expand the tuberculosis

eradication program in the United States

by implementing the following:

Improvement of Federal diagnostic

capabilities and national surveillance

for tuberculosis; payment of indemnity

for the depopulation of herds affected

with tuberculosis or at high risk for

recurrence of the disease; establishment

of identification requirements for

animals imported into the United States

for feeding and slaughter; assistance in

eradicating tuberculosis from foreign

areas adjacent to the United States that

are at high risk for the disease; and

research, control, and surveillance of

tuberculosis in wildlife, captive cervids,

and zoos in the United States. However,

APHIS resources are insufficient to

carry out these measures, and additional

funds are needed.

Therefore, in accordance with the

provisions of the Act of September 25,

1981, as amended (7 U.S.C. 147b), I

declare that there is an emergency that

threatens the livestock industry of this

country and hereby authorize the

transfer and use of such funds as may

be necessary from appropriations or

other funds available to the agencies or

corporations of the United States

Department of Agriculture to expand the

tuberculosis eradication program in the

United States.

Effective Date: This declaration of

emergency shall become effective

October 11, 2000.

Dan Glickman,

Secretary of Agriculture.

[FR Doc. 00–27156 Filed 10–20–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency

President’s Commission on Improving

Economic Opportunity in Communities

Dependent on Tobacco Production

While Protecting Public Health

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Commission Forums.

SUMMARY: Executive Order 13168,

published September 22, 2000,

established the President’s Commission

on Improving Economic Opportunity in

Communities Dependent on Tobacco

Production While Protecting Public

Health (Commission). The Commission

is to advise the President on changes

occurring in the tobacco farming

economy and recommend such