PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Scrapie disease control, chapter 16-89 WAC.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: Chapter 16.36 RCW.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recently (August 21, 2001) adopted as final rule amendments to 9 C.F.R. Parts 54 and 79 "Scrapie in Sheep and Goats"; Interstate Movement Restrictions and Indemnity Program. In order for Washington state to maintain is status as a complaint state the state scrapie rule chapter 16-89 WAC, Sheep and goat scrapie disease control, must be amended by January 1, 2003, to remain in compliance with the federal rules. Sheep and goats from noncompliant states will not be allowed to move interstate after January 1, 2003.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: USDA, APHIS, VS - Coordinated through our cooperative agreement for animal disease control with APHIS.
Process for Developing New Rule: Agency study.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Robert W. Mead, DVM, P.O. Box 42577, Olympia, WA 98504, (360) 902-1881, fax (360) 902-2087, or e-mail Rmead@agr.wa.gov.
December 7, 2001
Ms. Kathy Joyce Smith
Assistant Director
Food Safety, Animal Health
and Consumer Services Division