Positive News For UK Livestock Keepers
The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has this week (20/07/2016) proposed updating its regulations regarding bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), scrapie and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs).
As you may be aware, current USDA import regulations prohibit the importation of most live sheep and goats and their products into the US. The proposed rule would reduce restrictions involving trade of sheep and goats and their products from countries where such imports are currently prohibited - this includes the UK and Ireland. The publishing of the proposed rule is a significant first step in lifting the current restrictions. The proposed rule is available for public inspection on the Federal Register page at:
https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/07/18/2016-16816/importation-of-sheep-goats-and-certain-other-ruminants
Interested stakeholders can view the petition and submit comments at: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2009-0095
In a meeting with DEFRA this week, UKECP (UK Export Certification Partnership - www.ukecp.com) discussed developing a joined-up UK-wide approach to submitting comments.