E7-6529. New Standards for Mailing Adult Fowl

AGENCY:

Postal Service

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Postal Service revises the requirements for containers used for mailing adult chickens. The new standards require all mailable adult fowl, including chickens, to be mailed in containers approved by the manager of Mailing Standards.

EFFECTIVE DATES:

April 12, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bert Olsen, 202-268-7276.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Postal Service published a proposal in the Federal Register (71 FR 32, February 16, 2007) to revise the standards for mailing containers when shipping chickens. The revised mailing standards would promote the safety of our employees, customers, and all mailed adult fowl.

Comments Received

We received one comment. The commenter stated that no birds should be mailed in the United States because of a chance of spreading bird diseases.

We have accepted birds in the mail for many years without incident, and we are comfortable in continuing to provide service to bird industries as well as individual customers. We are aware of concerns associated with handling bird containers in transit, and we will continually monitor and revise our mailing requirements to mitigate potential risk.

We adopt the following amendments to Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations. See 39 CFR 111.1.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

• Administrative practice and procedure
• Postal Service

Accordingly, 39 CFR part 111 is amended as follows:

PART 111—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 111 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 101, 401, 403, 404, 414, 416, 3001-3011, 3201-3219, 3403-3406, 3621, 3626, 5001.

2. Revise the following sections of Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), as follows:

600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services

601 Mailability

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9.0 Perishables

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9.3 Live Animals

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9.3.4 Adult Fowl

[Revise 9.3.4 as follows:]

Disease-free adult fowl may be mailed domestically when shipped under applicable law in accordance with 601.1.7. Adult chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, doves, pigeons, pheasants, partridges, and quail as well as ducks, geese, and swans are mailable as follows:

a. The mailer must send adult fowl by Express Mail in secure containers approved by the manager of Mailing Standards (see 608.8.0 for address).

b. The number of birds per parcel must follow the container manufacturer limits and each bird must weigh more than 6 ounces.

c. Indemnity may be paid only for loss, damage, or rifling, and not for death of the birds in transit if there is no visible damage to the mailing container.

[Delete 9.3.5, Adult Chickens, and renumber 9.3.6 through 9.3.13 as new 9.3.5 through 9.3.12.]

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Neva R. Watson,

Attorney, Legislative.