Brucellosis Surveillance; MCI Reactor Prevalence Rates

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 78

[Docket No. 93-024-2]

Brucellosis Surveillance; MCI Reactor Prevalence Rates

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are extending the comment period for our proposed rule that

would amend the brucellosis regulations to eliminate the requirement

that States maintain specified Market Cattle Identification reactor

prevalence rates to maintain their official classifications. This

extension will provide interested persons with additional time to

prepare comments on the proposed rule.

DATES: Consideration will be given only to comments on Docket No. 93-

024-1 that are received on or before March 14, 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. 93-024-1. 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. M. J. Gilsdorf, National

Brucellosis Epidemiologist, Cattle Diseases and Surveillance Staff,

Veterinary Services, APHIS, USDA, room 731, Federal Building, 6505

Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782, (301) 436-4918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On January 14, 1994, we published in the Federal Register (59 FR

2312-2316, Docket No. 93-024-1) a proposal to amend our brucellosis

regulations in 9 CFR 78.1 to eliminate the requirement that States

maintain specified Market Cattle Identification (MCI) reactor

prevalence rates to maintain their official classifications. We also

proposed that instead of maintaining specified MCI reactor prevalence

rates, States would have to successfully close (epidemiologically

investigate and resolve) certain percentages of cases detected through

the MCI program.

Comments on the proposed rule were required to be received on or

before February 14, 1994. We have received a request from the American

Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) to extend the period during which

comments will be accepted. In response, we are extending the comment

period on Docket No. 93-024-1 for an additional 30 days. This action

will allow AVMA and all other interested persons additional time to

prepare and submit comments.

Authority: 21 U.S.C. 111-114a-1, 114g, 115, 117, 120, 121, 123-

126, 134b, 134f; 7 CFR 2.17, 2.51, and 371.2(d).

Done in Washington, DC, this 8th day of February 1994.

Lonnie J. King,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 94-3300 Filed 2-10-94; 8:45 am]

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