Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 10 / Thursday, January 16, 2025 / Notices 4715 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Under the regulations in ‘‘Subpart L– 

Fruits and Vegetables’’ (7 CFR 319.56– 

1 through 319.56–12, referred to below 

as the regulations), the Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 

prohibits or restricts the importation of 

fruits and vegetables into the United 

States from certain parts of the world to 

prevent plant pests from being 

introduced into or disseminated within 

the United States. 

Section 319.56–4 contains a 

performance-based process for 

approving the importation of fruits and 

vegetables that, based on the findings of 

a pest risk analysis, can be safely 

imported subject to one or more of the 

five designated phytosanitary measures 

listed in paragraph (b) of that section. 

APHIS received a request from the 

national plant protection organization of 

Indonesia to allow the importation of 

fresh rhizomes (underground stems) of 

wasabi, Eutrema japonicum (Miq.) 

Koidz. (Brassicaceae), for consumption 

from Indonesia into the United States. 

As part of our evaluation of Indonesia’s 

request, we have prepared a pest risk 

assessment to identify the pests of 

quarantine significance that could 

follow the pathway of the importation of 

fresh rhizomes of wasabi for 

consumption from Indonesia into the 

United States. Based on the pest risk 

assessment, a risk management 

document (RMD) was prepared to 

identify phytosanitary measures that 

could be applied to fresh rhizomes of 

wasabi to mitigate the pest risk. 

Therefore, in accordance with 

§ 319.56–4(c), we are announcing the 

availability of our pest risk assessment 

and RMD for public review and 

comment. Those documents, as well as 

a description of the economic 

considerations associated with the 

importation of fresh rhizomes of wasabi 

for consumption from Indonesia into the 

United States, may be viewed on the 

Regulations.gov website or in our 

reading room (see ADDRESSES above for 

a link to Regulations.gov and 

information on the location and hours of 

the reading room). You may request 

paper copies of the pest risk assessment 

and RMD by calling or writing to the 

person listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the 

subject of the analysis you wish to 

review when requesting copies. 

After reviewing any comments we 

receive, we will announce our decision 

regarding the import status of fresh 

rhizomes of wasabi for consumption 

from Indonesia into the United States in 

a subsequent notice. If the overall 

conclusions of our analysis and the 

Administrator’s determination of risk 

remain unchanged following our 

consideration of the comments, then we 

will authorize the importation of fresh 

rhizomes of wasabi for consumption 

from Indonesia into the United States 

subject to the requirements specified in 

the RMD. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 7701–7772, 

and 7781–7786; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 

7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of 

January 2025. 

Michael Watson, 

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2025–00952 Filed 1–15–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2023–0062] 

Addition of Panama and Costa Rica to 

the List of Regions Affected With 

Screwworm 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public 

that we have added Panama and Costa 

Rica 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 

these regions. 

DATES: Panama was added to the list of 

regions considered affected with 

screwworm effective July 12, 2021. 

Costa Rica was added to the list of 

regions considered affected with 

screwworm effective August 21, 2023. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

For information on Panama, contact: 

Dr. Michael Ray, Regionalization 

Evaluation Services, Strategy and 

Policy, APHIS Veterinary Services, 920 

Main Campus Drive, Venture II Suite 

200, Raleigh, NC 27606; phone: (919) 

855–7225; email: AskRegionalization@

usda.gov. 

For information on Costa Rica, 

contact: Dr. Rebecca Gordon, APHIS 

Veterinary Services, Regionalization 

Evaluation Services, 920 Main Campus 

Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; 

phone: (919) 338–4972; email: 

AskRegionalization@usda.gov. 

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 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 § 93.308(a)(3) and include 

not only pre-embarkation and postarrival 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 §§ 93.405(a)(3) and 

93.505(b), respectively, 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 § 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-andanimal-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 July 2, 2021, Panama reported a 

detection of New World screwworm 

(Cochliomyia hominivorax) to WOAH. 

After that report, and after confirming 

that the screwworm occurred in 

livestock, on July 12, 2021, APHIS 

added Panama to the list of regions 

APHIS considers affected with 

screwworm. In 2022, Panama requested 

that APHIS evaluate the country for 

New World screwworm. APHIS 

concluded the evaluation in 2022 after 

Panama reported additional detections 

of screwworm throughout the country. 

On July 17, 2023, Costa Rica reported 

a detection of New World screwworm in 

a dog to WOAH. On July 24, 2023, 

APHIS responded by adding Costa Rica 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
4716 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 10 / Thursday, January 16, 2025 / Notices 

to the Temporary Restrictions list for the 

import of animal commodities imported 

from or transiting Costa Rica. 

Subsequent follow-up reports to WOAH, 

as well as epidemiological reports 

submitted to APHIS from Costa Rica’s 

National Service for Animal Health, 

indicated further detections of 

screwworm in livestock, including 

cattle and sheep. Therefore, on August 

21, 2023, APHIS added Costa Rica to the 

list of regions APHIS considers affected 

with screwworm. 

As a result, horses, ruminants, swine, 

and dogs from Panama and Costa Rica 

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 these actions. 

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. 2025–00995 Filed 1–15–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

The U.S. Codex Office 

Codex Alimentarius Commission: 

Meeting of the Codex Committee on 

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables 

AGENCY: U.S. Codex Office, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and 

request for comments. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Codex Office is 

sponsoring a public meeting on Feb 5, 

2025. The objective of the public 

meeting is to provide information and 

receive public comments on agenda 

items and draft U.S. positions to be 

discussed at the 22nd Session of the 

Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and 

Vegetables (CCFFV), which will meet in 

Mexico City, Mexico, from February 25– 

March 1, 2025. The U.S. Manager for 

Codex Alimentarius and the Under 

Secretary for Trade and Foreign 

Agricultural Affairs recognize the 

importance of providing interested 

parties the opportunity to obtain 

background information on the 23rd 

Session of the CCFFV and to address 

items on the agenda. 

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled 

for February 5, 2025, from 11 a.m.–12:30 

p.m. eastern time. 

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will 

take place via video teleconference only. 

Documents related to the 23rd Session 

of the CCFFV will be accessible via the 

internet at the following address: 

https://www.fao.org/fao-whocodexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/ 

?meeting=CCFFV&session=23. 

Mr. Dorian LaFond, U.S. Delegate to 

the 23rd Session of CCFFV, invites 

interested U.S. parties to submit their 

comments electronically to the 

following email address: 

Dorian.LaFond@usda.gov. 

Registration: Attendees may register 

to attend the public meeting at the 

following link: https://

www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/ 

vJIscOihrD8uGX42lENVyIB

4gIMrirpf_SE. After registering, you will 

receive a confirmation email containing 

information about joining the meeting. 

For further information about the 23rd 

Session of the CCFFV, contact U.S. 

Delegate, Mr. Dorian LaFond, 

International Food Standards 

Coordinator, Fruits and Vegetables 

Program, Specialty Crops Division, 

Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, phone: +1 

(202) 690–4944, email: Dorian.LaFond@

usda.gov. For additional information 

regarding the public meeting, contact 

the U.S. Codex Office by email at: 

uscodex@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The Codex Alimentarius Commission 

was established in 1963 by two United 

Nations organizations, the Food and 

Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the 

World Health Organization (WHO). 

Through the adoption of food standards, 

codes of practice, and other guidelines 

developed by its committees, and by 

promoting their adoption and 

implementation by governments, Codex 

seeks to protect the health of consumers 

and ensure fair practices in the food 

trade. 

The Terms of Reference of the Codex 

Committee on Fresh Fruits and 

Vegetables (CCFFV) are: 

(a) To elaborate worldwide standards 

and codes of practice as may be 

appropriate for fresh fruits and 

vegetables 

(b) to consult, as necessary, with other 

international organizations in the 

standards development to avoid 

duplication 

The CCFFV is hosted by Mexico. The 

United States attends the CCFFV as a 

member country of Codex. 

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public 

Meeting 

The following items from the 

Provisional Agenda for the 23rd Session 

of the CCFFV will be discussed during 

the public meeting: 

• Matters arising from the Codex 

Alimentarius Commission and other 

committees; 

• Matters arising from other 

international organizations on the 

standardization of fresh fruits and 

vegetables; 

• Draft standard for fresh dates; 

• Proposed draft standard for fresh 

curry leaves; 

• Discussion paper on the review of 

existing FFV standards; 

• Consideration for proposals for new 

work; 

• Other Business. 

Public Meeting 

At the February 5, 2025, public 

meeting, draft U.S. positions on the 

agenda items will be described and 

discussed, and attendees will have the 

opportunity to pose questions and offer 

comments. Written comments may be 

offered at the meeting or sent to Mr. 

Dorian LaFond, U.S. Delegate to the 

23rd Session of the CCFFV, at 

dorian.lafond@usda.gov. Written 

comments should state that they relate 

to activities of the 23rd Session of the 

CCFFV. 

Additional Public Notification 

Public awareness of all segments of 

rulemaking and policy development is 

important. Consequently, the U.S. 

Codex Office will announce this Federal 

Register publication online through the 

USDA Codex web page located at: 

https://www.usda.gov/codex, a link that 

also offers an email subscription service 

providing access to information related 

to Codex. Customers can add or delete 

their subscriptions themselves and have 

the option to password-protect their 

accounts. 

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement 

No agency, officer, or employee of the 

USDA shall, on the grounds of race, 

color, national origin, religion, sex, 

gender identity, sexual orientation, 

disability, age, marital status, family/ 

parental status, income derived from a 

public assistance program, or political 

beliefs, exclude from participation in, 

deny the benefits of, or subject to 

discrimination any person in the United 

States under any program or activity 

conducted by the USDA. 

How To File a Complaint of 

Discrimination 

To file a complaint of discrimination, 

complete the USDA Program 

Discrimination Complaint Form, which 

may be accessed online at https://

www.usda.gov/oascr/filing-programdiscrimination-complaint-usdacustomer, or write a letter signed by you 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1