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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 10 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 4713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01000]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2024-0028]

Addition of Nicaragua to the List of Regions Affected With 
Screwworm

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have added Nicaragua to the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) list maintained on 
the APHIS website of regions considered affected with screwworm. We 
took this action because of the confirmation of screwworm in this 
region.

DATES: Nicaragua was added to the list of regions considered affected 
with screwworm effective March 29, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Heather Sriranganathan, APHIS 
Veterinary Services, Regionalization Evaluation Services, 4700 River 
Road, Riverdale, MD 20737; phone: (717) 818-3582; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 93 (referred 
to below as the regulations) prohibit or restrict the importation of 
certain animals into the United States to prevent the introduction of 
communicable diseases and pests of livestock. Subparts C, D, E, and F 
of the regulations govern the importation of horses, ruminants, swine, 
and dogs, respectively.
    Horses, ruminants, swine, and dogs may be imported into the United 
States from the regions where screwworm is considered to exist only if 
they are inspected and, if necessary, treated for screwworm according 
to the conditions outlined in the regulations for each type of animal. 
The requirements for horses are set out in Sec.  93.308(a)(3) and 
include not only pre-embarkation and post-arrival inspection and 
treatment requirements, but also quarantine in the United States for 7 
days after arrival, and examination by a veterinarian before release 
from quarantine. The requirements for ruminants and swine are set out 
in Sec. Sec.  93.405(a)(3) and 93.505(b) and are the same as for 
horses, other than the 7-day quarantine and final examination of the 
animal. The requirements for dogs are set out in Sec.  93.600 and 
require that all dogs from affected regions be inspected and, if 
necessary, treated before importation.
    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) maintains a 
list of regions APHIS considers affected with screwworm on its website 
at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions/. 
APHIS will add a region to the list upon determining that screwworm 
exists in the region based on reports we receive of detections of the 
pest from veterinary officials of the exporting country, from the World 
Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), or from other sources the 
Administrator determines to be reliable.
    On March 22, 2024, APHIS received a report from the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs office 
documenting an outbreak of screwworm in cattle in Nicaragua. This 
detection was confirmed by the Panama-United States Commission for the 
Eradication and Prevention of Screwworm on March 14, 2024. Accordingly, 
on March 29, 2024, APHIS added Nicaragua to the list of regions APHIS 
considers affected with screwworm. As a result, horses, ruminants, 
swine, and dogs from Nicaragua are subject to APHIS import restrictions 
designed to mitigate risk of screwworm introduction into the United 
States. This notice serves as an official record and public 
notification of this action.
    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622 and 8301-8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 31 
U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 13th day of January 2025.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-01000 Filed 1-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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