USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing removing five select agents after completing its biennial review of the Biological Select Agents and Toxins (BSAT) List.
The five select agents include Brucella abortus, Brucella suis, Brucella melitensis, African horse sickness virus and Peronosclerospora philippinensis. These agents, deemed low-risk due to modern production practices, are unlikely to spread, minimizing their impact on animal health and the economy, the agency said. The proposed delisting aims to remove regulatory barriers, facilitating research on enhanced vaccines and diagnostics, ultimately improving disease control efforts in animal populations.
Interested stakeholders can comment on the proposed rule until April 1 via www.regulations.gov at docket ID APHIS-2019-0018.
