Addition of Bangladesh, Montenegro, and Albania to the List of Regions Affected by African Swine Fever

Dates

Bangladesh, Montenegro, and Albania were added to the list of regions APHIS considers to be affected with ASF, effective respectively on December 26, 2023, January 22, 2024, and March 1, 2024.

Supplementary Information

The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred to below as the regulations) govern the importation of certain animals and animal products into the United States to prevent the introduction of various animal diseases, including African swine fever (ASF). ASF is a highly contagious disease of wild and domestic swine that can spread rapidly with extremely high rates of morbidity and mortality. A list of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably believed to exist is maintained on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions/. This list is referenced in §  94.8(a)(2) of the regulations.

Section 94.8(a)(3) of the regulations states that APHIS will add a region to the list referenced in §  94.8(a)(2) upon determining ASF exists in the region or having reason to believe the disease exists in the region, based on reports APHIS receives of outbreaks of the disease from veterinary officials of the exporting country, from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), ⁽¹⁾ or from other sources the Administrator determines to be reliable, or upon determining that there is reason to believe the disease exists in the region. Section 94.8(a)(1) of the regulations specifies the criteria on which the Administrator bases the reason to believe ASF exists in a region. Section 94.8(b) prohibits the importation of pork and pork products from regions listed in accordance with §  94.8 except if processed and treated in accordance with the provisions specified in that section or consigned to an APHIS-approved establishment for further processing. Section 96.2 restricts the importation of swine casings that originated in or were processed in a region where ASF exists, as listed under §  94.8(a).

On December 21, 2023, the veterinary authorities of Bangladesh reported to the WOAH the occurrence of ASF in that country. In response to that report, on December 26, 2023, APHIS added Bangladesh to the list of regions where ASF exists or the Administrator has reason to believe that ASF exists, in compliance with §  94.8(a)(3). This notice serves as an official record and public notification of that action.

On January 17, 2024, the veterinary authorities of Montenegro reported to the WOAH the occurrence of ASF in that country. In response to that report, on January 22, 2024, APHIS added Montenegro to the list of regions where ASF exists or the Administrator has reason to believe that ASF exists, in compliance with §  94.8(a)(3). This notice serves as an official record and public notification of that action.

On February 26, 2024, the veterinary authorities of Albania reported to the WOAH the occurrence of ASF in that country. In response to that report, on March 1, 2024, APHIS added Albania to the list of regions where ASF exists or the Administrator has reason to believe ASF exist, in compliance with §  94.8(a)(3). This notice serves as an official record and public notification of that action.

As a result, pork and pork products from Bangladesh, Montenegro, and Albania, including casings, are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate the risk of ASF introduction into the United States.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 7701-7772, 7781-7786, and 8301-8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.

⁽¹⁾  The World Organization for Animal Health internationally follows a British English spelling of "organisation" in its name; also, it was formerly the Office International des Epizooties, or OIE, but on May 28, 2022, the Organization announced that the acronym was changed from OIE to WOAH.