Effective Date of Rule: Immediately.

     Purpose: Effective November 19, 2007, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will allow Canadian cattle and bison born after March 1, 1999, to be imported into the United States. This rule establishes the entry, health, and testing requirements for domestic cattle entering Washington from outside the United States. This rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, and general welfare. The department is in the process of putting this language into permanent rule.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 16-54-032, 16-54-082, 16-54-083, and 16-54-085.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 16.36.010 and 16.36.040.

     Other Authority: Chapter 34.05 RCW.

     Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest.

     Reasons for this Finding: Effective November 19, 2007, the USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services will allow Canadian cattle and bison born after March 1, 1999, to be imported into the United States as outlined in Title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations (9 C.F.R., Part 93). The state of Washington will accept these animals if they meet the requirements of USDA and the requirements within this proposal.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: March 14, 2008.

Valoria H. Loveland

Director

OTS-1395.1

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 07-14-056, filed 6/28/07, effective 7/29/07)

WAC 16-54-032   Certificate of veterinary inspection -- Required information.   (1) A certificate of veterinary inspection must contain the following information:

     (a) An entry permit, when required, that includes the physical address of the premises of origin;

     (b) Date of inspection;

     (c) Names and addresses of the consignor and consignee;

     (d) Shipment information, including:

     (i) Origin of shipment;

     (ii) Anticipated shipment date; and

     (iii) Number of animals in the shipment;

     (e) Certification that the animals are free from clinical signs or known exposure to any infectious or communicable disease;

     (f) Test or vaccination status, when required;

     (g) Description of each animal by:

     (i) Identifying species;

     (ii) Breed;

     (iii) Age;

     (iv) Sex of the animal;

     (v) Color; and

     (vi) Tag, tattoo, microchip, USDA-approved RFID (radio frequency identification device) ear tag, or other official method of identification, including ownership brands.

     (2) All certificates of veterinary inspection must be reviewed by the animal health official of the state of origin and a copy must be immediately forwarded to:

     Washington State Department of Agriculture

     Animal Services Division

     1111 Washington Street S.E.

     P.O. Box 42577

     Olympia, Washington 98504-2577.

[Statutory Authority: Chapters 16.36 and 34.05 RCW. 07-14-056, § 16-54-032, filed 6/28/07, effective 7/29/07.]

     (1) Domestic bovine entering Washington state must have a certificate of veterinary inspection and an entry permit issued by the office of the state veterinarian prior to entry. Entry permits are required on all feeder cattle entering restricted feedlots and are to be obtained by the brand inspector of the state of origin and recorded on the brand document.

     (2) Before entering Washington state, Canadian cattle, including calves, must be identified on the right hip by a USDA "C[Lambda]N" brand (C&Lgr;N).

     Exemptions to import health requirements.

     (((2))) (3) A certificate of veterinary inspection is not required for domestic bovine that are:

     (a) Consigned to federally inspected slaughter plants for immediate slaughter; or

     (b) Consigned to state-federal approved livestock markets for sale for immediate slaughter only; or

     (c) Consigned to specifically approved livestock markets or restricted holding facilities where import requirements can be met; or

     (d) Consigned to a restricted feedlot.

[Statutory Authority: Chapters 16.36 and 34.05 RCW. 07-14-056, § 16-54-082, filed 6/28/07, effective 7/29/07; 05-14-019, § 16-54-082, filed 6/24/05, effective 7/25/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 16.36.040. 99-09-023, § 16-54-082, filed 4/15/99, effective 5/16/99; 97-01-067 (Order 6009), § 16-54-082, filed 12/16/96, effective 1/16/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 16.36.040 and 16.36.096. 92-21-039, § 16-54-082, filed 10/15/92, effective 11/15/92. Statutory Authority: Chapter 16.36 RCW. 89-24-021 (Order 2021), § 16-54-082, filed 11/30/89, effective 12/31/89. Statutory Authority: RCW 16.36.040 and 16.36.050. 88-05-003 (Order 1964), § 16-54-082, filed 2/5/88; 87-08-021 (Order 1918), § 16-54-082, filed 3/25/87; 84-16-022 (Order 1838), § 16-54-082, filed 7/24/84. Statutory Authority: Chapter 16.36 RCW. 83-09-009 (Order 1792), § 16-54-082, filed 4/8/83. Statutory Authority: Chapters 16.36 and 16.44 RCW. 83-04-030 (Order 1782), § 16-54-082, filed 1/27/83. Statutory Authority: Chapters 16.36 and 16.40 RCW. 82-03-019 (Order 1752), § 16-54-082, filed 1/14/82; 81-10-047 (Order 1730), § 16-54-082, filed 5/1/81. Statutory Authority: Chapters 16.36 and 16.44 RCW. 78-06-116 (Order 1579), § 16-54-082, filed 6/7/78; Order 1540, § 16-54-082, filed 10/17/77.]

     Reviser's note: The brackets and enclosed material in the text of the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appear in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 07-14-056, filed 6/28/07, effective 7/29/07)

WAC 16-54-083   Domestic and foreign bovine brucellosis requirements.   (1) Female cattle, domestic and foreign, must have an official calfhood brucellosis vaccination and legible vaccination tattoo before entry into Washington state.

     (a) Cattle vaccinated with strain 19 vaccine must be permanently identified with a tattoo in the right ear that must bear the USDA registered V shield preceded by a number indicating the quarter of the year in which they were vaccinated, followed by the last digit of the year of vaccination.

     (b) Cattle vaccinated with RB-51 strain of vaccine must be permanently identified with a tattoo in the right ear that must bear the USDA registered V shield preceded by the letter R followed by the last digit of the year of vaccination.

     (c) Brucellosis vaccinated cattle from foreign countries must present original vaccination certificates. On arrival, the cattle must be tattooed with the USDA V shield and the year indicated on the vaccination certificate.

     (2) Mature vaccinated domestic bovine that are identified by a legible vaccination tattoo and USDA vaccination and USDA identification tags will be allowed entry into Washington state if the state of origin allows mature vaccination and is of the same brucellosis class or higher.

     (3)(a) Test eligible dairy cattle from all states and all cattle from Class A states must be tested negative for bovine brucellosis within thirty days before entry.

     (b) Beef cattle from selected brucellosis free states designated by the director may be required to have a negative test thirty days before entry.

     (c) Test eligible bovine are bulls over six months of age, brucellosis vaccinated dairy females over twenty months of age, and brucellosis vaccinated beef breed females over twenty-four months of age.

     (4) All animals must be identified by USDA approved official identification.

     Exemptions to domestic bovine brucellosis test and vaccination requirements.

     (5) Domestic bovine that are exempt from brucellosis testing and vaccination requirements are:

     (a) Those cattle from a class free state consigned to restricted feedlots;

     (b) Those consigned to federally inspected slaughter plants for immediate slaughter;

     (c) Heifer calves less than four months of age;

     (d) Slaughter only dairy breed cattle from Oregon, Idaho, and Montana that are consigned to a state-federal approved livestock market;

     (e) Bull calves less than six months of age;

     (f) Steers and spayed heifers;

     (g) Official brucellosis vaccinated dairy cattle less than twenty months of age;

     (h) Official brucellosis vaccinated beef cattle less than twenty-four months of age;

     (i) Cattle from a certified brucellosis free herd, as defined by Title 9 CFR Part 78.1; and

     (j) Test eligible beef breed cattle and dairy cattle that are consigned to a state or federally approved livestock market to meet entry testing requirements. Heifer calves between four and twelve months of age may be consigned to a state-federal approved sale yard where they will remain until meeting vaccination requirements.

     (6) Adult cattle that have not met the department's brucellosis requirements may enter, with approval from the director, a WSDA-approved restricted holding facility in Washington state until testing and vaccination requirements have been met.

[Statutory Authority: Chapters 16.36 and 34.05 RCW. 07-14-056, § 16-54-083, filed 6/28/07, effective 7/29/07.]

     (2) Dairy cattle six months of age or older must:

     (a) Test negative for bovine tuberculosis within sixty days before entering Washington state; and

     (b) Be identified with a USDA silver identification ear tag, or a USDA-approved RFID tag, or an orange brucellosis vaccination tag.

     (3) Dairy heifers and bull calves less than six months of age must:

     (a) Be issued a hold order or a quarantine order that requires the animals to be taken directly to a designated premises or facility;

     (b) Be held separate and apart from all other domestic bovine until they test negative for bovine tuberculosis after six months of age; and

     (c) Be identified with a USDA silver identification ear tag, or a USDA-approved RFID tag, or an orange brucellosis vaccination tag.

     (4) Mexican cattle - All cattle imported from Mexico that enter Washington, including those imported for rodeo or recreation purposes, must be sexually neutered and must bear official Mexican identification and brand before entry.

     (a) All Mexican cattle must be accompanied by proof of two negative bovine tuberculosis tests conducted in the United States after entry from Mexico. The second negative test must be a minimum of sixty days after the first test and within thirty days before entry into Washington state.

     (b) All Mexican cattle that remain in the state of Washington shall be tested annually for tuberculosis.

     (c) If Mexican cattle entering Washington state are not accompanied by proof of two negative bovine tuberculosis tests prior to entry, they will be issued a hold order or a quarantine order that requires the animals to be taken directly to a designated premises or facility and kept separate and apart from Washington cattle until the completion of required tests.

     (d) Sexually intact Mexican beef cattle may enter only with a prior entry permit and at the discretion of the director.

     Exemptions to domestic bovine tuberculosis test requirements.

     (5) Dairy cattle are exempt from bovine tuberculosis testing requirements if they:

     (a) Originate from an accredited bovine tuberculosis-free herd, as defined by USDA, APHIS in Title 9 CFR Chapter 1 Part 77 (January 1, 2006), and if an accredited herd number and the date of the last bovine tuberculosis test are shown on the certificate of veterinary inspection;

     (b) Are consigned to federally inspected slaughter plants for immediate slaughter; or

     (c) Are consigned to slaughter through state and federally approved sale yards and remain in slaughter channels.

     (6) Adult ((dairy cows from Oregon and Idaho)) cattle that have not met the department's ((brucellosis and)) tuberculosis requirements may enter, with approval from the director, a WSDA-approved ((brucellosis/tuberculosis)) restricted holding facility in Washington state until testing requirements have been met.

     (7) Dairy steers and spayed heifers are exempt from bovine tuberculosis testing requirements before entry into Washington state if they are entering restricted feedlots to be fed for slaughter.

     (8) Mexican cattle are exempt from the second bovine tuberculosis test and isolation requirements if their official Mexican identification remains intact and they are consigned to a federally inspected slaughter plant for immediate slaughter.

[Statutory Authority: Chapters 16.36 and 34.05 RCW. 07-14-056, § 16-54-085, filed 6/28/07, effective 7/29/07.]

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