Change in Disease Status of The Netherlands and Northern Ireland With Regard to Foot-and-Mouth Disease

We are amending the regulations governing the importation of certain animals, meat, and other animal products by adding The Netherlands and Northern Ireland to the list of regions considered free of rinderpest and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and to the list of regions subject to certain import restrictions on meat and animal products because of their proximity to or trading relationships with rinderpest-or FMD-affected regions. This final rule follows interim rules that removed France, Great Britain, Ireland, The Netherlands, and Northern Ireland from those lists due to detection of FMD in those regions. Based on the results of an evaluation of the current FMD situation in The Netherlands and Northern Ireland, we have determined that The Netherlands and Northern Ireland meet the standards of the Office International des Epizooties for being considered free of FMD. This rule relieves certain prohibitions and restrictions on the importation of ruminants and swine and fresh (chilled or frozen) meat and other products of ruminants and swine into the United States from The Netherlands and Northern Ireland.