APHIS is proposing to add the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to
the list of regions recognized as free of Classical Swine Fever (CSF) and Swine
Vesicular Disease (SVD). APHIS' risk analyses concluded EC legislation
imposes less stringent restrictions on sourcing of imported ruminants and swine
than do APHIS requirements, resulting in some risk of introducing CSF, SVD, or
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) into the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland
or other EU Member States via imported animals or animal products. The
proposal states this risk is substantially mitigated by factors such as veterinary
inspection of live animals prior to shipment. However, this same document states
that some forms of CSF, SVD, and FMD are difficult to detect in live animals or on
post-mortem examination. Therefore, it seems that the main mitigating factor as
presented in this document is ineffective in some instances. How can we be sure
that the animals imported to that region will not come in contact with animals to
be exported to the U.S. or that some of those animals imported to that region
would not then be included in an export to the U.S.?
APHIS also proposes to add Latvia and Lithuania to the list of regions recognized
as free of FMD and rinderpest, yet subjects those countries' ruminant and swine
meat products for export to the U.S., to certain restrictions to prevent the
introduction of FMD and rinderpest into the U.S. Due to the proximenty of FMD
affected or potentially affected regions, APHIS' risk analysis concluded that the
potential exists for introduction of FMD into Latvia or Lithuania via wild animals,
incoming vehicular or human traffic, smuggled animal products, or other routes.
Neither country has active disease control programs in place for FMD. Biosecurity
measures, according to the proposed rule preamble, on ruminant operations, are
generally not sufficient to prevent direct and/or indirect contact with wildlife or
contact with live virus on clothing or vehicles.
We urge that this rule change not be implemented.
Comment from Lee Jan, DVM, Texas Animal Health Commission
This is comment on Proposed Rule
Importation of Live Swine, Swine Semen, Pork, and Pork Products From the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland
View Comment
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