Foot-and-Mouth Disease Status of Uruguay

We are adopting as a final rule, with one change, our July 2001 interim rule that amended the regulations governing the importation of certain animals, meat, and other animal products by removing Uruguay from the list of areas considered free of rinderpest and foot-and-mouth disease. The interim rule also removed Uruguay from the list of regions declared free of those diseases, but that are subject to certain restrictions because of their proximity to or trading relations with regions affected with rinderpest or foot-and- mouth disease. The interim rule was necessary because the existence of foot-and-mouth disease had been confirmed in 18 Departments in Uruguay. Because there have been no occurrences of rinderpest in Uruguay, this final rule adds Uruguay to the list of regions considered free of that disease.