Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2003/07/24/03-18850/tuberculosis-in-cattle-and-bison-state-designations-new-mexico
Timestamp: 2018-04-22 05:24:28
Document Index: 43832213

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 77', '§\u200977', '§\u200977', '§\u200977', '§\u200977', '§\u200977', '§\u200977', '§\u200977', '§\u200977', '§\u200977']

A Rule by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on 07/24/2003
This interim rule is effective July 24, 2003.
43618-43621 (4 pages)
Docket No. 03-044-1
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/03-18850 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/03-18850
We are amending the bovine tuberculosis regulations regarding State and zone classifications by removing New Mexico from the list of accredited-free States and adding it to the list of modified accredited advanced States. This action is necessary to help prevent the spread of tuberculosis because New Mexico no longer meets the requirements for accredited-free State status.
Compliance Date: The date for complying with certain requirements of 9 CFR 77.10 for sexually intact heifers, steers, and spayed heifers moving interstate from the State of New Mexico is September 30, 2003 (see “Delay in Compliance” under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION). The compliance date for all other provisions in 9 CFR part 77 applicable to the interstate movement of cattle and bison from the State of New Mexico is July 24, 2003.
Comment Date: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before September 22, 2003.
You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/commercial delivery, please send four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket No. 03-044-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. 03-044-1. If you use e-mail, address your comment to regulations@aphis.usda.gov. Your comment must be contained in the body of your message; do not send attached files. Please include your name and Start Printed Page 43619address in your message and “Docket No. 03-044-1” on the subject line.
The status of a State or zone is based on its freedom from evidence of tuberculosis in cattle and bison, the effectiveness of the State's tuberculosis eradication program, and the degree of the State's compliance with the standards for cattle and bison contained in the UMR. In an interim rule published in the Federal Register on October 23, 2000, and effective on November 22, 2000 (65 FR 63502-63533, Docket No. 99-038-5), we, among other things, raised the designation of New Mexico from modified accredited to accredited-free.
Recently, two tuberculosis-affected herds (one dairy herd in the fall of 2002 and another dairy herd in the winter of 2002-2003) were detected in Roosevelt County, NM. Under the regulations in § 77.7(c), if two or more affected herds are detected in an accredited-free State or zone within a 48-month period, the State or zone will be removed from the list of accredited-free States or zones and will be reclassified as modified accredited advanced. Therefore, we are amending the regulations by removing New Mexico from the list of accredited-free States or zones and adding it to the list of modified accredited advanced States or zones.
The two affected herds detected in the State have been quarantined, and a complete epidemiological investigation into the potential sources of the disease is being conducted. In cooperation with the State, we have continuously tested area cattle for tuberculosis since the investigation began.
In an interim rule effective June 3, 2002, and published in the Federal Register on June 6, 2002 (67 FR 38841-38844, Docket No. 02-021-1), we amended the regulations by classifying the State of Texas as modified accredited advanced. In another interim rule effective and published in the Federal Register on April 25, 2003 (68 FR 20333-20336, Docket No. 03-005-1), we amended the regulations by classifying the State of California as modified accredited advanced. Given the size and complexity of the cattle industries in Texas and California, we delayed the date for complying with certain identification and certification requirements in § 77.10 for sexually intact heifers, steers, and spayed heifers moving interstate from the States of Texas and California until September 30, 2003.
In the interests of equitable treatment for producers in New Mexico, we are similarly delaying the date of compliance with the following interstate movement requirements of § 77.10 for sexually intact heifers, steers, and spayed heifers moving interstate from the State of New Mexico until September 30, 2003:
The identification requirements for sexually intact heifers moving to feedlots that are not approved feedlots (§ 77.10(d));
All other applicable provisions of the regulations will be in effect as ofthe effective date of this rule.
We will consider comments we receive during the comment period for this interim rule (see DATES above). Start Printed Page 43620After the comment period closes, we will publish another document in the Federal Register. The document will include a discussion of any comments we receive and any amendments we are making to the rule.
Prior to this rule, the State of New Mexico was classified as an accredited-free State for cattle and bison. However, two infected herds have been discovered within a 48-month period. Under the regulations, if two or more affected herds are detected in an accredited-free State or zone within a 48-month period, the State or zone must be reclassified as modified accredited advanced. In keeping with that requirement, this interim rule removes New Mexico from the list of accredited-free States and adds it to the list of modified accredited advanced States.
This interim rule changes the status of New Mexico to modified accredited advanced, resulting in interstate movement restrictions where none existed previously. Specifically, as explained previously, § 77.10 requires that, for movement to certain destinations, animals must test negative to an official tuberculin test and/or be officially identified by premises of origin identification before interstate movement.
This rule will prove beneficial by preventing the spread of tuberculosis to other areas of the United States. However, the stricter requirements for interstate movement will have an economic effect on those producers involved in the interstate movement of cattle and bison from New Mexico. As such, this analysis will focus on the expenses incurred by those producers engaged in interstate movement and in determining whether those negative impacts are significant.
The approximate per head tuberculin testing cost is $3.76, and the cost of official identification (an eartag) and an applicator is about $0.16 per head plus the cost of labor to apply the eartags. On January 1, 2002, the average value per animal in New Mexico was estimated to be $840, which translates to an average value per 185-head herd of about $155,400. Thus, we believe that the added cost of the required tuberculin testing and identification is small relative to the average value of cattle and bison, representing less than 1 percent of the per head value. Further, since this rule provides for a delay in date of compliance with the identification requirements in § 77.10(b) and (d), some herd owners' identification costs may be deferred until at least September 30, 2003.
The expenses stemming from the testing and identification requirements are not expected to be substantial for cattle and bison owners in New Mexico. The more a particular herd owner engages in interstate movement, the greater the resulting expense. Unfortunately, the exact number of herd owners involved in interstate movement is unknown. However, it is clear that this change in status will not have an economically substantial effect on cattle and bison herd owners in New Mexico.
In accordance with section 3507(j) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the information collection and recordkeeping requirements included in this interim rule have been submitted for emergency approval to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). OMB has assigned control number 0579-0229 to the information collection and recordkeeping requirements.
We plan to request continuation of that approval for 3 years. Please send written comments on the 3-year approval request to the following addresses: (1) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for APHIS, Washington, DC 20503; and (2) Docket No. 03-044-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comments refer to Docket No. 03-044-1 and send your comments within 60 days of publication of this rule.
This interim rule removes New Mexico from the list of accredited-free States for bovine tuberculosis and adds it to the list of modified accredited advanced States. Cattle or bison that originate in a modified accredited advanced State or zone, and are not known to be infected with or exposed to tuberculosis, may be moved interstate only if the animals meet certain conditions with regards to transport, identification, and accreditation. These conditions are detailed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION portion of this document as well as in § 77.10 of the regulations. As previously noted however, these requirements are suspended until September 30, 2003. We are soliciting comments from the public (as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection and recordkeeping requirements. These comments will help us:
Respondents: Certain herd owners in New Mexico.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 375. Start Printed Page 43621
Estimated annual number of responses: 37,500.
2. In § 77.7, paragraph (a) is amended by removing the words “New Mexico,”.
3. In § 77.9, paragraph (a) is amended by adding the words ”, New Mexico,” immediately after the word “California”.
4. Section 77.10 is amended by revising the OMB control number citation at the end of the section to read as follows: “(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control numbers 0579-0146, 0579-0220, and 0579-0229)”.
Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of July 2003.
[FR Doc. 03-18850 Filed 7-23-03; 8:45 am]