Cattle From Mexico

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

9 CFR Parts 50, 77, and 92

[Docket No. 93-014-2]

Cattle From Mexico

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of reopening and extension of comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are reopening and extending the comment period for our

proposed rule that would require that certain steers and spayed heifers

imported into the United States from Mexico be sent either to a

quarantined pasture or quarantined feedlot for finish feeding, or to a

quarantined holding facility for quarantine and a 60-day post-entry

tuberculin test. The proposed rule also would deny claims for indemnity

for Mexican-origin steers or spayed heifers that test positive to the

60-day post-entry tuberculin test, and to deny claims for indemnity for

cattle that were exposed to such animals. This extension will provide

interested persons with additional time in which to prepare comments on

the proposed rule.

DATES: Consideration will be given only to written comments on Docket

No. 93-014-1 that are received on or before September 16, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Please send an original and three copies of your comments to

Chief, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, USDA, room 804,

Federal Building, 6505 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782. Please

state that your comments refer to Docket No. 93-014-1. Comments

received may be inspected at USDA, room 1141, South Building, 14th

Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and

4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing to

inspect comments are requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to

facilitate entry into the comment reading room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Joseph Vantiem, Senior Staff

Veterinarian, Cattle Disease and Surveillance Staff, Veterinary

Services, APHIS, USDA, room 729, Federal Building, 6505 Belcrest Road,

Hyattsville, MD 20782, (301) 436-8715.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 9, 1994, we published in the Federal

Register (59 FR 23810-23817, Docket No. 93-014-1) a proposed rule that

would require that certain steers and spayed heifers imported into the

United States from Mexico be sent either to a quarantined pasture or

quarantined feedlot for finish feeding, or to a quarantined holding

facility for quarantine and a 60-day post-entry tuberculin test. The

proposed rule also would deny claims for indemnity for Mexican-origin

steers or spayed heifers that test positive to the 60-day post-entry

tuberculin test, and to deny claims for indemnity for cattle that were

exposed to such animals. Comments on the proposed rule were required to

be received on or before July 8, 1994.

During the comment period, we received requests that we extend the

comment period. The requests came from four State Veterinarians, who

stated that they would like to present their views to the Binational

Tuberculosis Committee, then submit a comment on the proposed rule. The

Binational Tuberculosis Committee is scheduled to meet July 21, 1994.

In response to these requests, and so that we may consider comments

received after July 8, 1994, we are reopening and extending the public

comment period until 60 days after publication of this notice. This

action will allow the requestors and all other interested persons

additional time to prepare comments.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622; 19 U.S.C. 1306; 21 U.S.C. 102-105,

111-113, 114, 114a, 114a-1, 115-117, 120, 121, 125, 134a, 134b,

134c, 134d, 134f, 135, 136, and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.17,

2.51, and 371.2(d).

Done in Washington, DC, this 13th day of July 1994.

B. Glen Lee,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 94-17347 Filed 7-15-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-34-P