Washington, DC
March 12, 2004[Federal
Register: March 12, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 49)]
[Notices]
[Page 11831-11832]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12mr04-23]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 04-019-1]
Availability of a Draft Document Pertaining to the Risks
Associated With the Introduction of Soybean Rust Into the
Continental United States
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.
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SUMMARY:
We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service has prepared a draft document entitled
"Status of Scientific Evidence on Risks Associated with the
Introduction into the Continental United States of Phakopsora
pachyrhizi with Imported Soybean Grain, Seed and Meal.'' We are
making this document available to the public for review and
comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or
before April 12, 2004.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following
methods:
<BULLET Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four
copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket
No. 04-019-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS,
Station 3C71, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD
20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No.
04-019-1.
<BULLET E-mail: Address your comment to
regulations@aphis.usda.gov. Your comment must be contained
in the body of your message; do not send attached files. Please
include your name and address in your message and ``Docket No.
04-019-1'' on the subject line.
<BULLET Agency Web Site: Go to
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/cominst.html for a form
you can use to submit an e-mail comment through the APHIS Web
site.
<BULLET Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
http://www.regulations.gov
and follow the instructions for locating this docket and
submitting comments.
Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on
this docket in our reading room. The reading room is located in
room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room
hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call
(202) 690-2817 before coming.
Other Information: You may view APHIS documents published in
the Federal Register and related information, including the
names of groups and individuals who have commented on APHIS
dockets, on the Internet at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Arnold T. Tschanz, Senior
Staff Officer, Regulatory Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River
Road, Unit 141, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, (301) 734-5306.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Soybean rust is caused by two different fungal
species--Phakopsora pachyrhizi Sydow and Phakopsora meibomiae
(Arthur) Arthur. P. pachyrhizi is an aggressive pathogen and
spreads rapidly under conducive environmental conditions. It is
referred to as the Asian, Australian, or Old World rust strain.
P. meibomiae is a less aggressive pathogen on soybean. It is
referred to as the tropical, Latin American, or New World rust
strain. Soybean rusts caused by one or both of these species
have been reported in most soybean producing areas of the world,
except for North America and Europe.
In light of recent outbreaks in South America of the Asian
strain of soybean rust (P. pachyrhizi), U.S. soybean producers
have asked APHIS to reevaluate the entry status of soybean
grain, seed, and meal from countries where soybean rust is known
to occur. To evaluate the risks associated with the introduction
of soybean rust into the continental United States, a draft
document, entitled "Status of Scientific Evidence on Risks
Associated with the Introduction into the Continental United
States of Phakopsora pachyrhizi with Imported Soybean Grain,
Seed and Meal'' (February 23, 2004), has been prepared.
We are making the draft document available to the public for
review and comment.
You may view the draft document on the Internet at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ep/soybean_rust/sbr_riskevidoc2_23_04.pdf.
You may request copies from the person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the title of the draft
document when requesting copies. Finally, the draft document is
available for review in our reading room (information on the
location and hours of the reading room is provided under the
heading ADDRESSES at the beginning of this notice).
In addition, we are soliciting comments addressing the
following questions:
1. What conditions at harvest and during cleaning, drying,
storage, or transport would change the risk of introducing P.
pachyrhizi with imported soybean grain, seed, and meal?
2. Is there additional specific information on industry and
agricultural practices that would affect the risk of introducing
the soybean rust pathogen with imported soybean grain, seed, and
meal?
3. Are most soybeans that are grown in areas infested with
soybean rust sprayed with fungicides? How effective is this
control?
4. What other practical treatments could be used to address
the risk of introducing the soybean rust pathogen in imported
soybean grain, seed, and meal?
5. Is there any other information APHIS should consider in
determining the risk of introducing P. pachyrhizi with imported
soybean grain, seed, and meal?
We welcome all comments on the issues outlined above and
encourage the submission of scientific information that supports
any statements and conclusions. We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before the date listed under the heading
DATES at the beginning of this notice. These comments will be
considered during the development of a pest risk assessment for
soybean rust.
[[Page 11832]]
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450 and 7701-7772; 21 U.S.C. 136 and
136a; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 8th day of March 2004.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service.
[FR Doc. 04-5628 Filed 3-11-04; 8:45 am]
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