§ 93.400 - Definitions.

§ 93.400 Definitions.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 86 FR 68856, Dec. 3, 2021.

Wherever in this subpart the following terms are used, unless the context otherwise requires, they shall be construed, respectively, to mean:

Accredited herd for brucellosis. A herd that meets APHIS' standards for accreditation for brucellosis status. Standards for accreditation are specified in import protocols.

Accredited herd for tuberculosis. A herd that meets APHIS' standards for accreditation for bovine tuberculosis status. Standards for accreditation are specified in import protocols.

Accredited veterinarian. A veterinarian approved by the Administrator in accordance with the provisions of part 161 of this title to perform functions specified in parts 1, 2, 3, and 11 of subchapter A, and subchapters B, C, and D of this chapter, and to perform functions required by cooperative state-federal disease control and eradication programs.

Administrator. The Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or any other employee of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, to whom authority has been or may be delegated to act in the Administrator's stead.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (APHIS or Service).

Animals. Cattle, sheep, goats, other ruminants, swine, horses, asses, mules, zebras, dogs, and poultry.

APHIS representative. A veterinarian or other individual employed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, who is authorized to perform the services required by this part.

Area veterinarian in charge (AVIC). The veterinary official of APHIS who is assigned by the Administrator to supervise and perform the official animal health work of APHIS in the State concerned.

As a group. Collectively, in such a manner that the identity of the animals as a unique group is maintained.

Authorized USDA representative. An APHIS Veterinary Services employee, a USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service inspector, a State representative, an accredited veterinarian, or an employee of an accredited veterinarian, slaughtering establishment, or feedlot who is designated by the accredited veterinarian or management of the slaughtering establishment or feedlot to perform the function involved. In order to designate an employee to break official seals, an accredited veterinarian or the management of a slaughtering establishment or feedlot must first supply in writing the name of the designated individual to the APHIS AVIC in the State where the seals will be broken. Additionally, the management of a slaughtering establishment or feedlot must enter into an agreement with Veterinary Services in which the management of the facility agrees that only designated individuals will break the seals, that the facility will contact an APHIS representative or USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service inspector immediately if the seals are not intact when the means of conveyance arrives or if the animals being transported appear to be sick or injured due to transport conditions, and that the facility will cooperate with APHIS representatives, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service inspectors, and State representatives in maintaining records of sealed shipments received.

Bovine. Bos taurus, Bos indicus, and Bison bison.

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) minimal risk region. A region listed in § 94.18(a)(3) of this subchapter.

Brucellosis. Infection with or disease caused by Brucella abortus.

Brucellosis certified free herd. A herd in which all eligible cattle in the herd were negative to brucellosis tests under the Canadian requirements and which is officially certified by the Canadian Government as a brucellosis free listed herd.

Camelid. All species of the family Camelidae, including camels, guanacos, llamas, alpacas, and vicunas.

Cattle. Animals of the bovine species.

Certified status. A flock that has met requirements equivalent to the Export Certified status of the U.S. Scrapie Flock Certification Program while participating in a program under the supervision of the national veterinary authority of the region of origin, as determined by an evaluation conducted by APHIS of the program.

Cervid. All members of the family Cervidae and hybrids, including deer, elk, moose, caribou, reindeer, and related species.

Classical scrapie. Any form of scrapie that the Administrator has determined poses a significant risk of natural transmission.

Communicable disease. Any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease of domestic livestock, poultry or other animals.

Country mark. A permanent mark approved by the Administrator for identifying a sheep or goat to its country of origin.

Department. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Designated feedlot. A feedlot that has been designated by the Administrator as one that is eligible to receive sheep and goats imported from a BSE minimal-risk region from regions not free of classical scrapie, and whose owner or legally responsible representative has signed an agreement as specified in accordance with § 93.419435(dc)(8) of this subpart to adhere to, 11) and is in full compliance with , the requirements for a designated feedlotall the provisions of the agreement.

Exporting region. A region from which shipments are sent to the United States.

Federal veterinarian. A veterinarian employed and authorized by the Federal Government to perform the tasks required by this subpart.

Fever tick, Rhipicephalus annulatus, Rhipicephalus microplus, and any other species of tick determined by the Administrator to be a vector of bovine babesiosis and specified on the Internet at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animalhealth/disease-status-of-regions.

Flock. Any group of one or more sheep maintained on common groundor goats maintained on a single premise, or on more than one premises under the same ownership and between which unrestricted movement is allowed; or two or more groups of sheep or goats under common ownership or supervision on two or more premises that are geographically separated, but among which there is an interchange or movement of animals.

Flock of birth. The flock into which a sheep or goat is born.

Flock of residence. The flock:

(1) Within which an individual sheep or goat was born, raised, and resided until exported to the United States; or

(2) In which the sheep or goat resided for breeding purposes for 60 days or more until exported to the United States; or

(3) In which sheep and goats for export were assembled for export to the United States and maintained for at least 60 days immediately prior to export, without any addition of animals or contact with animals other than through birth, on a single premises, or on more than one premises under the same ownership and between which unrestricted movement occurred.

Goat. Any animal of the genus Capra.

Herd. Any group of one or more animals maintained on common ground; or two or more groups of animals under common ownership or supervision on two or more premises that are geographically separated, but among which there is an interchange or movement of animals.

Herd of origin. A herd of one or more sires and dams and their offspring from which animals in a consignment presented for export to the United States originate. The herd of origin may be the birth herd or the herd where the animal has resided for a minimum 4-month period immediately prior to movement, unless otherwise specified in an import criteria. Additional animals can be moved into a herd of origin during or after the 4-month qualifying period only if they:

(1) Originate from an accredited herd; or

(2) Originate from a herd of origin that tested negative to a whole herd test conducted within the last 12 months and the individual animals being moved into the herd also tested negative to any additional individual tests for tuberculosis and brucellosis required by the Administrator.

Immediate slaughter. Consignment directly from the port of entry to a recognized slaughtering establishment^[1] and slaughtered within 2 weeks from the date of entry.

Import protocol. A document issued by APHIS and provided to officials of the competent veterinary authority of an exporting region that specifies in detail the mitigation measures that will comply with the regulations in this part regarding the import of certain animals or commodities.

Individual test. A test for brucellosis or tuberculosis that is approved by the Administrator and that is administered individually in accordance with this part to ruminants that are susceptible to brucellosis or tuberculosis.

Inspector. Any individual authorized by the Administrator of APHIS or the Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, to enforce the regulations in this subpart.

Killed and completely destroyed. Killed, or maintained under quarantine in a manner preventing disease spread until the animal is no longer living; and the remains have been disposed of in a manner preventing disease spread.

Lot. A group of ruminants that, while held on a conveyance or premises, has opportunity for physical contact with each other or with each other's excrement or discharges at any time between arrival at the quarantine facility and 60 days prior to export to the United States.

Lot-holding area. That area in a privately owned medium or minimum security quarantine facility in which a single lot of ruminants is held at one time.

Moved directly. Moved without unloading and without stopping except for refueling, or for traffic conditions such as traffic lights or stop signs.

Moved directly by land. Moved by rail, truck, or other land vehicle without unloading and without stopping except for refueling, or for traffic conditions such as traffic lights or stop signs.

Non-classical scrapie. Any form of scrapie the Administrator has determined poses a low risk of natural transmission.

Non-negative test results. Any test results for tuberculosis or brucellosis within the suspect, reactor, or positive range parameters of a pathogen assay that has been approved by the Administrator.

Nonquarantine area. That area of a privately owned medium or minimum security quarantine facility that includes offices, storage areas, and other areas outside the quarantine area, and that is off limits to ruminants, samples taken from ruminants, and any other objects or substances that have been in the quarantine area during the quarantine of ruminants.

Notifiable disease. A disease for which confirmed or suspected occurrences within a region must be reported to the competent veterinary authority or other competent authority of that region.

Official identification device or method. A means of officially identifying an animal or group of animals using devices or methods approved by the Administrator, including, but not limited to, official tags, tattoos, and registered brands when accompanied by a certificate of inspection from a recognized brand inspection authority. For animals intended for importation into the United States, the device or method of identification used must have been approved by the Administrator for that type of import before the animal is exported to the United States.

Officially identified. Individually identified by means of an official identification device or method.

Operator. A person other than the Federal Government who owns or operates, subject to APHIS' approval and oversight, a privately owned medium or minimum security quarantine facility.

Permitted dip. A dip permitted by the Administrator to be used in the official dipping of cattle for fever ticks and for dipping cattle and sheep for scabies.

Persons. Any individual, corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, society or joint stock company.

Port Veterinarian. A veterinarian employed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to perform duties required under this part at a port of entry.

Positive for a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. A sheep or goat for which a diagnosis of a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy has been made.

Premises of origin. Except as otherwise used in § 93.423 of this subpart, the premises where the animal was born.

Prevalence. The number of affected herds occurring during the period specified in §§ 93.437 and 93.440. In some instances, the Administrator may allow calculation of prevalence based on affected herd-years to avoid penalizing regions with small herd numbers.

Privately owned medium security quarantine facility (medium security facility). A facility that:

(1) Is owned, operated, and financed by a person other than the Federal Government;

(2) Is subject to the strict oversight of APHIS representatives;

(3) Is constructed, operated, and maintained in accordance with the requirements for medium security facilities in § 93.412(d); and

(4) Provides the necessary level of quarantine services for the holding of ruminants in an indoor, vector-proof environment prior to the animals' entry into the United States. Quarantine services would have to include testing or observation for any OIE listed diseases and other livestock diseases exotic to the United States, as well as any other diseases, as necessary, to be determined by the Administrator.

Privately owned minimum security quarantine facility (minimum security facility). A facility that:

(1) Is owned, operated, and financed by a person other than the Federal Government;

(2) Is subject to the strict oversight of APHIS representatives;

(3) Is constructed, operated, and maintained in accordance with the requirements for minimum security facilities in § 93.412(d);

(4) Is used for the quarantine of ruminants that pose no significant risk, as determined by the Administrator, of introducing or transmitting to the U.S. livestock population any livestock disease that is biologically transmissible by vectors; and

(5) Provides the necessary level of quarantine services for the outdoor holding of ruminants, prior to the animals' entry into the United States. Quarantine services would have to include testing or observation for any OIE listed diseases and other livestock diseases exotic to the United States, as well as any other diseases, as necessary, to be determined by the Administrator.

Processed animal protein. Meat meal, bone meal, meat-and-bone meal, blood meal, dried plasma and other blood products, hydrolyzed protein, hoof meal, horn meal, poultry meal, feather meal, fish meal, and any other similar products.

Quarantine area. That area of a privately owned medium or minimum security quarantine facility that comprises all of the lot-holding areas in the facility and any other areas in the facility that ruminants have access to, including loading docks for receiving and releasing ruminants, and any areas used to conduct examinations of ruminants and take samples and any areas where samples are processed or examined.

Recognized slaughtering establishment. Any slaughtering establishment operating under the provisions of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) or a State meat inspection act.^[2]

Region. Any defined geographic land area identifiable by geological, political, or surveyed boundaries. A region may consist of any of the following:

(1) A national entity (country);

(2) Part of a national entity (zone, county, department, municipality, parish, Province, State, etc.);

(3) Parts of several national entities combined into an area; or

(4) A group of national entities (countries) combined into a single area.

Ruminants. All animals which chew the cud, such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, deer, antelopes, camels, llamas and giraffes.

Sheep. Any animal of the genus Ovis.

Spayed heifer. A female bovine that has been neutered in a manner otherwise approved by the Administrator and specified in an import protocol.

State representative. A veterinarian or other person employed in livestock sanitary work by a State or political subdivision of a State who is authorized by such State or political subdivision of a State to perform the function involved under a memorandum of understanding with APHIS.

State veterinarian. A veterinarian employed and authorized by a State or political subdivision of a State to perform the tasks required by this subpart.

Steer. A sexually neutered male bovine.

Suspect for a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.

(1) A sheep or goat that has tested positive for a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy or for the proteinase resistant protein associated with a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, unless the animal is designated as positive for a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy; or

(2) A sheep or goat that exhibits any of the following signs and that has been determined to be suspicious for a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy by a veterinarian: Weight loss despite retention of appetite; behavior abnormalities; pruritus (itching); wool pulling; biting at legs or side; lip smacking; motor abnormalities such as incoordination, high stepping gait of forelimbs, bunny hop movement of rear legs, or swaying of back end; increased sensitivity to noise and sudden movement; tremor, “star gazing,” head pressing, recumbency, or other signs of neurological disease or chronic wasting.

Swine. The domestic hog and all varieties of wild hogs.

Temporary inspection facility. A temporary facility that is constructed of metal panels that can be erected and broken down alongside the transportation vessel carrying ruminants that are imported into the United States in accordance with § 93.408 of this subpart and that will be quarantined at a minimum or medium security quarantine facilities located more than 1 mile from the port of entry.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). A family of progressive and generally fatal neurodegenerative disorders thought to be caused by abnormal proteins, called prions, typically producing characteristic microscopic changes, including, but not limited to, non-inflammatory neuronal loss, giving a spongiform appearance to tissues in the brains and central nervous systems of affected animals.

TSE-affected sheep or goat. A sheep or goat suspected or known by the national veterinary authority of the region of origin to be infected with a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy prior to the disposal of the animal.

Tuberculosis. Infection with or disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis.

United States. All of the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and all other Territories and Possessions of the United States.

Veterinary Services. The Veterinary Services unit of the Department.

Wether. A castrated male sheep or goat.

Whole herd test for brucellosis. A brucellosis test that has been approved by APHIS of all sexually intact bovines in a herd of origin that are 6 months of age or older, and of all sexually intact bovines in the herd of origin that are less than 6 months of age and were not born into the herd of origin, except those sexually intact bovines that are less than 6 months of age and originate directly from a currently accredited herd for brucellosis.

Whole herd test for tuberculosis. A tuberculosis test that has been approved by APHIS of all bovines in a herd of origin that are 6 months of age or older, and of all bovines in the herd of origin that are less than 6 months of age and were not born into the herd of origin, except those bovines that are less than 6 months of age and originate directly from a currently accredited herd for tuberculosis.

World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The international organization recognized by the World Trade Organization for setting animal health standards, reporting global animal situations and disease status, and presenting guidelines and recommendations on sanitary measures related to animal health.

Zoological park. A professionally operated zoo, park, garden or other place, maintained under the constant surveillance of a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, for the exhibition of live animals, pigeons or birds, for the purpose of public recreation or education.

[55 FR 31495, Aug. 2, 1990. Redesignated at 62 FR 56012, Oct. 28, 1997]

Editorial Note

Editorial Note:

For Federal Register citations affecting § 93.400, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.

Footnotes - 93.400

^[1] The name of recognized slaughtering establishments approved under this part may be obtained from the area veterinarian in charge for the State of destination of the shipment. The name and address of the area veterinarian in charge in any State is available from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Strategy and Policy, 4700 River Road Unit 39, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231.

^[2] See footnote 1.