§ 93.523 - Embarkation quarantine facility; criteria and standards for approval.

Criteria for establishment of an embarkation quarantine facility outside the United States for the purpose of importing swine into the United States that are eligible for importation only through the Harry S Truman Animal Import Center are as follows:

(a) Establishment. (1) The Administrator may enter into an agreement with one or more parties for the establishment of such a facility pursuant to the standards in paragraph (b) of this section.

(2) To qualify for designation as an embarkation quarantine facility (EQF) for a specifically authorized importation, the facility must meet the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.

(3) All costs associated with the establishment and operation of such an embarkation quarantine facility shall be borne by the owner or operator of such facility.

(4) The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service requires that the importer submit the physical plans for the EQF for which he or she is requesting approval. The physical plans must include location of the facility and site-specific blueprints. The importer must send these physical plans, due with the cooperative-service agreement as provided in § 93.522(d) to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, National Center for Import-Export, 4700 River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, Maryland 20737-1231. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will, after reviewing the importer's physical plans and conducting an on-site inspection, approve an EQF found to meet the requirements of this section. Approval of an EQF will expire at the end of the specifically authorized quarantine. Subsequent importers granted use of HSTAIC and proposing to use one of the existing EQFs must apply for approval as if for a new facility. No more than one EQF will receive approval for a specific HSTAIC importation. If the EQF specified in the signed cooperative-service agreement, as provided in § 93.522(d), is not approved by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the importer may use an alternative EQF, provided it is approved by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service during the 42 days following the date the importer signs the cooperative-service agreement. If an EQF closes down or loses its “approved” status for any reason, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service may approve replacement following the method specified in this paragraph.

(5) Permission to place swine in the foreign embarkation facility shall be given to any person who has received permission to import swine through the Harry S Truman Animal Import Center unless the Administrator determines that sufficient grounds exist whereby such person may be denied such permission.

(6) Fees charged by the owner or operator for the use of such facility shall be provided in private agreements between the owner or operator of the facility and the owners of the swine proposed for importation. Such fees shall be nondiscriminatory and reasonable as determined by the Administrator.

(7) Approval of any approved quarantine facility may be withdrawn at any time by the Administrator, upon his or her determination that any requirement of this section is not being met. Before such action is taken, the operator of the facility will be informed of the reasons for the proposed actions and will be afforded opportunity to present his or her views thereon. Upon withdrawal of approval, the operator, upon request, shall be afforded opportunity for a hearing with respect to the merits or validity of such action; but such withdrawal or refusal shall continue in effect unless otherwise ordered by the Administrator.

(b) Standards for approval of embarkation quarantine facilities. (1) Location. (i) The EQF must be in an area isolated from ruminants, swine, and poultry. It must be located near the point of embarkation: A dock, if the swine will travel by ocean vessel; an airport, if the swine will travel by plane.

(ii) The swine's route from EQF to the point of embarkation will be limited to areas free of ruminants, swine, and poultry.

(iii) The facility shall be so situated that there will be no contact between swine held in the facility with any other species of animals.

(iv) The facility shall be so situated that it will be free from contact with water and waste effluents from local livestock or poultry. Water and waste effluents from the facility shall be disposed of in a manner determined by the Administrator to be adequate to insure no exposure to local livestock or poultry.

(2) Building. (i) The exterior of the building shall be of durable low maintenance, waterproof type construction that will withstand repeated cleaning and disinfecting.

(ii) Roofs shall be watertight. The styling and configuration of the roof of the swine holding building shall provide for optimum air circulation throughout the facility.

(iii) The interior finish of the building shall be durable, washable, and of low maintenance type construction. The floor shall be concrete with no cracks or crevices.

(iv) Mesh double screens must protect all open areas, so that insects cannot gain access to the swine holding area. If the swine are removed from the double-screened building before export to the HSTAIC, or if the United States Department of Agriculture Veterinarian in Charge of the quarantine operation determines that insects capable of transmitting communicable animal diseases are entering the swine holding area, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will require implementation of a program of insect vector control. This vector control program will involve treating swine, building interiors, and environs with United States Environmental Protection Agency-registered pesticides. The pesticides must be used in the manner prescribed on the United States Environmental Protection Agency-approved label, and in accordance with the requirements of the government of the region in which the EQF is located.

(v) Stalls, pens, and runways shall be constructed of sufficient height and strength to confine and restrain all swine simultaneously for daily veterinary examinations.

(vi) At least 70-foot candle lighting shall be provided in the inspection area. A minimum light of 30-candle shall be available in all other areas of the facility.

(vii) A dipping vat of a concrete pit type with inspection chute, holding pen, dripping pen, and post-drip area similar to USDA Extension Plan 5940, revised, shall be provided.14

(viii) The waste management system shall be carefully designed to meet all applicable sanitation and quarantine requirements and the existing environmental standards of the region in which the embarkation quarantine facility is located.

(3) Fencing. (i) The outer perimeter of all facilities shall be surrounded by a fence which shall be of sufficiently small mesh as to preclude the entrance of small farm animals, including dogs, and of such height and strength as to prevent entrance of larger animals. This fence shall be located at least 200 feet from the building in which quarantined swine are to be held, except that, in an urban or industrial area the location of the fence may be less than 200 feet as determined by the Administrator, if such action will not increase the risk that communicable diseases of livestock or poultry will be disseminated from the facility.

(ii) In areas affected by cattle fever ticks all such facilities shall be double fenced with the inner perimeter fence located at least 15 feet from the outer perimeter fence. When double fencing is required, the space between the outer and inner perimeter fences shall be kept free from all foliage at all times.

(iii) The outer fence of the facility shall be posted with signs in appropriate language, which shall convey the following: Restricted Area—Keep Out, Quarantine Area—Keep Out, or Registered Quarantine Area—Keep Out.

(4) Feed. The animal feed supply in the EQF must consist only of feed obtained from a region or area that is listed as free of foot-and-mouth disease (see § 94.1(a)(2) of this chapter) and any other exotic disease necessitating the quarantine or that could jeopardize the quarantine.

(5) Other requirements. (i) Access into the quarantine area shall be through a single door which shall lead into a walkthrough shower area with clothes change areas located on either side of the shower and adjacent thereto.

(ii) Toilet and lavatory facilities as determined by the Administrator to be adequate to preclude transmission of livestock or poultry disease agents from the facility shall be located within the swine holding areas.

(iii) A sufficient supply of clean clothing including towels and footwear as determined by the Administrator to be adequate to prevent the transmission of livestock or poultry disease agents from the facility, shall be maintained within the quarantine area.

(iv) A continuous supply of hot and cold running water shall be provided which shall include potable water for personnel.

(v) If lunch is to be eaten within the facility, a lunch room must be provided and all food entered into the facility must be approved by the supervising United States Government veterinarian.

(vi) A separate room containing the equipment for preparation and packaging of laboratory specimens with adequate office space as determined by the Administrator, to perform his or her duties shall be provided for the supervising veterinary official. All records, equipment, and other materials used in the facility, must be maintained within the quarantine facility for the entire quarantine period.

(vii) A separate area situated apart from the swine holding area shall be provided for necropsies and a means for the removal of the carcasses of dead swine shall be provided without breaking quarantine security.

(viii) A swine receiving area and a chute or stocks for restraint during examination and veterinary inspection, as determined to be appropriate by the Administrator to permit examination of the swine, shall be provided.

(ix) Feed shall be stored in such a manner that replenishment during the quarantine period does not require transporting vehicles to enter the quarantine area.

(x) Equipment necessary for the care, cleaning, feeding, waste disposal, and handling of the swine shall be provided and maintained within the quarantine area.

(xi) Additional requirements as to security, physical plant and facilities, and sanitation may be imposed by the Administrator, in each specific case in order to assure that the quarantine of the swine in such facility will be adequate to enable determination of their health status, prevent the spread of disease among swine in quarantine, and prevent escape of animal disease agents from the facility.