RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/USA/32
15April 1996
ORGANIZATION
(96-1327)
Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION
1. Member toAgreement notifying: UNITED STATES
Ifapplicable, name oflocal government involved:
2. Agency responsible: Department ofAgriculture, Animal andPlant Health Inspection
Service
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) asspecified innational schedules deposited with
theWTO. ICSnumbers may beprovided inaddition, where applicable): Cervids (e.g.
deerandelk)
4. Title andnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: Tuberculosis incervids (18pages)
5. Description ofcontent: Theagency proposes toamend theregulations concerning
tuberculosis andtheinterstate movement ofanimals byadding provisions regarding
testing, identification, andinterstate movement ofcaptive cervids, suchasdeerandelk.
Wealsopropose toamend theregulations concerning exportation ofanimals and
animal products torequire that,tobeeligible forexport, captive cervids be
accompanied byacertificate stating thattheyhavetested negative fortuberculosis
within 90daysprior toexport. Wewould add"captive cervids" tothelistofanimals
included inthedefinition ofanimals inCFR 9Part91.Thiswould make thegeneral
export requirements inPart91(which nowapply tohorses, cattle, bison, sheep, swine,
andgoats) alsoapply tocaptive cervids. Captive cervids havebeendetermined tobea
source oftuberculosis infection. Theproposed amendment appears necessary tohelp
prevent thespread oftuberculosis andfacilitate theeradication oftuberculosis in
livestock intheUnited States.
6. Objective andrationale: Health
7. Aninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation does notexist [].
Ifaninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations: TheInternational Office ofEpizootics recommends testing forTB
butdoesnotprovide specific methodology pertaining tothisspecies. Themethodology
theUnited States isproposing isbased oninternationally accepted protocols.
./.G/SPS/N/USA/32
Page2
8. Relevant documents: 61FR14991, 4April 1996; 9CFR Parts 77and91
9. Proposed date ofadoption andentry intoforce: Theeffective dateisexpected tobelater
thisyear.
10. Final date forcomments: 3June1996
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point []oraddress andtelefax number ofother
body:
USDA/FAS/OFSTS
Attn: Carolyn F.Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
14thandIndependence
Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel: (202) 720-2239
Fax: (202) 690-0677