Importation of Sheep and Goats and Germ Plasm From Sheep and Goats

We are amending the animal importation regulations to revise who may issue health certificates for ruminants offered for importation. This amendment will make the regulations more consistent with regard to different animals and countries and will provide an alternative method of issuing health certificates. We are also amending the animal importation regulations to revise the conditions for importing sheep and goats. We are similarly amending the animal germ plasm regulations to revise the conditions for importing germ plasm from sheep and goats. These changes appear necessary to prevent the importation of sheep and goats, and germ plasm from sheep and goats, that may be affected with scrapie. We are also amending the animal importation regulations to allow imported goats to be quarantined in privately operated quarantine facilities that meet the requirements that now apply to privately operated quarantine facilities for sheep. This amendment will provide uniform rules for the quarantine of animals which pose a similar disease risk. In addition, we are removing from the regulations health certificate requirements that apply specifically to the importation of sheep from New Zealand. Since sheep from New Zealand pose no greater disease risk than sheep from other countries, there is no longer a need to retain separate health certification requirements for sheep imported from New Zealand. Lastly, we are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the regulations for importing sheep and goats from Canada and Mexico. The rule requires that, with the exception of sheep and goats imported through land border ports for immediate slaughter, and wethers imported through land border ports, all sheep and goats imported into the United States from Canada and Mexico be accompanied by an import permit. This requirement is necessary to prevent the importation of sheep and goats that may be affected with scrapie.