Change in Disease Status of the Czech Republic Because of BSE

We are amending the regulations by adding the Czech Republic to the list of regions where bovine spongiform encephalopathy exists because the disease has been detected in native-born animals in that region. The Czech Republic is currently listed among the regions that present an undue risk of introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the United States. Therefore, the effect of this action is a continued restriction on the importation of ruminants that have been in the Czech Republic and meat, meat products, and certain other products of ruminants that have been in the Czech Republic. This action is necessary in order to update the disease status of the Czech Republic regarding bovine spongiform encephalopathy.