[Federal Register: January 27, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 17)]
[Proposed Rules]               
[Page 3826]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27ja03-22]                         






Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________


This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.


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[[Page 3826]]






DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service


9 CFR Part 71


[Docket No. 99-017-2]
RIN 0579-AB13


 
Blood and Tissue Collection at Slaughtering Establishments


AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.


ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.


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SUMMARY: We are extending the comment period for our proposed rule 
regarding the collection of blood and tissue samples at slaughtering 
establishments. In that document, we proposed, among other things, to 
establish requirements for the collection of blood and tissue samples 
from livestock (horses, cattle, bison, captive cervids, sheep and 
goats, swine, and other farm animals) and poultry at slaughtering 
establishments when it is necessary for disease surveillance. This 
action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and 
submit comments.


DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
28, 2003.


ADDRESSES: 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. 99-017-1, 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. 99-017-1. 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 address in your message and ``Docket No. 
99-017-1'' on the subject line.
    You may read any comments that we receive on Docket No. 99-017-1 in 
our reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of the USDA 
South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, 
DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, 
please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.
    APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related 
information, including the names of organizations and individuals who 
have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Adam Grow, National Animal Health 
Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; 
(301) 734-4363.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:


Background


    On November 27, 2002, we published in the Federal Register (67 FR 
70864-70875, Docket No. 99-017-1) a proposal to amend the regulations 
in 9 CFR part 71 to establish requirements for the collection of blood 
and tissue samples from livestock (horses, cattle, bison, captive 
cervids, sheep and goats, swine, and other farm animals) and poultry at 
slaughtering establishments when it is necessary for disease 
surveillance. We also proposed to require that livestock or poultry 
moved interstate for slaughter be moved only to a slaughtering 
establishment that has been listed by the Administrator and provided 
proposed criteria for the listing of establishments.
    Comments on the proposed rule were required to be received on or 
before January 27, 2003. We are extending the comment period on Docket 
No. 99-017-1 for an additional 60 days, ending March 28, 2003. This 
action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and 
submit comments.


    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 8304-8306, 8308, 8310, 8313, and 8315; 7 CFR 
2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.


    Done in Washington, DC, this 21st day of January 2003.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 03-1752 Filed 1-24-03; 8:45 am]

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