APHIS Announces Intent to Further Relax Import Restrictions on Meat From Argentina

The Animal and Plant Health Service is proposing to further loosen import restrictions on meat and meat products from Argentina. The agency is withdrawing a 2007 proposed rule that would have the “Patagonia South” region of Argentina south of the 42nd parallel to be free of foot-and-mouth disease and rinderpest (here). Instead, APHIS is now proposing to also find the area immediately north of the 42nd parallel (Patagonia North B) to be free of foot-and-mouth disease, in addition to Patagonia South. The agency is also proposing to find the entirety of Argentina to be free of rinderpest (here). The reproposal was also required by changes to APHIS regulations, it said, because pest risk determinations are no longer formally codified but are instead put on the agency’s website.