APHIS Extends Comment Deadline for Proposed Bovine Import Regulations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) has extended until June 14, 2012, the comment period for a
proposed rule that would amend regulations governing the importation of
live bovines and other animal products with regard to bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE). Under the proposed rule, APHIS would adopt World
Organization for Animal Health criteria that identify a country’s BSE risks as
negligible, controlled or undetermined, bringing U.S. import regulations in
line with international health standards.

APHIS has pushed back the deadline to allow “interested persons additional
time to prepare and submit comments.” Additional details about the proposed
rule appear in Issue 432 of this Update.