Final Rule: National Poultry Improvement Plan and Auxiliary Provisions (Docket # APHIS-2014-0101)

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP), its auxiliary provisions, and the indemnity regulations for the control of H5 and H7 low pathogenic avian influenza. Specifically, we are clarifying who may participate in the NPIP, amending participation requirements, amending definitions for poultry and breeding stock, amending the approval process for new diagnostic tests, and amending slaughter plant inspection and laboratory inspection and testing requirements. These changes will align the regulations with international standards and make them more transparent to Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service stakeholders and the general public. The changes in this final rule were voted on and approved by the voting delegates at the Plan's 2014 National Plan Conference.

The Notice is available in English at: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=APHIS-2014-0101-0004.

Federal Register/Vol. 81, No. 156/Friday, 12 August 2016/pg. 53247-53252

On 24 March 2016, we published in the Federal Register (81 FR 15652-15660, Docket No. APHIS-2014-0101) a proposal to amend the regulations by clarifying who may participate in the NPIP and amending participation requirements. We solicited comments concerning our proposal for 60 days ending 23 May 2016. We received one comment by that date.