USDA seeks ideas for controlling BSE

The Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is seeking comments on controlling risks associated with disposal of nonambulatory and dead livestock. These animals could serve as potential pathways for the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, if that disease should ever be introduced into the United States. The agency will consider comments received by March 24.

APHIS seeks answers to several pointed questions. Should dead stock ruminants be segregated at rendering from material being rendered for animal feed use? If so, can the rendering industry successfully implement this degree of segregation and labeling, and at what expense? If the cost of rendering dead stock exceeds the value of the rendered product, who should pay the excess cost? What could be done through cooperation between industry and government to decrease the cost of picking up dead stock for rendering? Is harmonizing licensing and regulations, for example, an answer?

Individuals submitting comments by mail should send four copies to Docket No. 01-068-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231.

Comments can also be emailed to regulationsaphis [dot] usda [dot] gov (regulations[at]aphis[dot]usda[dot]gov), but the comment must be contained in the body of the message. Include your name and address in the message and Docket No. 01-068-1 on the subject line.

For further information, refer to the announcement in the Jan. 21 Federal Register, www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html, or contact Dr. Lisa Ferguson at (301) 734-8073 or Emergency Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737-1237.