Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, all sheep and goats imported into the United States must be placed in a flock or herd in the United States that participates in the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program (see 9 CFR part 54, subpart B) and:

The flock or herd qualifies as a “Certified” flock or herd; or

The flock or herd owner has agreed, in writing, to maintain the flock or herd in compliance with all requirements of the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program until the flock or herd qualifies as a “Certified” flock or herd.

The following sheep and goats are not subject to paragraph (a) of this section:

Goats intended for importation from Australia, Canada, or New Zealand;

Goats intended for importation from any region other than Australia, Canada, or New Zealand, provided that such goats have not had any contact with sheep during the 5 years immediately prior to shipment, in accordance with § 93.405(b)(2)(ii);

Sheep intended for importation from Australia, Canada, or New Zealand, provided that none of the female sheep in the flock from which the sheep will be imported has been impregnated, during the 5 years immediately preceding shipment of the sheep to the United States, with germ plasm from a region other than Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the United States, in accordance with § 93.405(c)(3);

Wethers;

Sheep or goats imported for immediate slaughter; and

Wild sheep or goats imported for exhibition purposes to an approved zoological park in accordance with § 93.404(c).

Sheep or goats may be imported under paragraph (a) of this section only if the importer provides the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program identification number of the receiving flock or herd as part of the application for an import permit.

Sheep and goats may be imported under paragraph (a)(1) of this section only if they come from a flock or herd in the region of origin that participates in a program determined by the Administrator to be equivalent to the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program, and the flock or herd has been determined by the Administrator to be at a level equivalent to “Certified” in the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program.

Sheep and goats may be imported under paragraph (a)(2) of this section only if they are placed in a Certifiable Class C flock or herd participating in the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program; except, that if the sheep and goats come from a flock or herd in the region of origin that participates in a program determined by the Administrator to be equivalent to the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program, then the sheep and goats may be placed in a herd or flock in the United States which would be classified at a level equivalent to or lower (i.e., at a greater risk) than the certification level, as determined by the Administrator, of the flock or herd from which the sheep or goats are to be imported.

Sheep and goats imported under paragraph (a)(2) of this section must be monitored for scrapie disease until the flock or herd qualifies as a “Certified” flock or herd.

Except for imported sheep and goats placed in Certifiable Class C flocks or herds, the certificate accompanying sheep or goats imported under paragraph (a) of this section must contain the following statement: “The animals identified on this certificate have been monitored by a salaried veterinary officer of [name of country of origin], for [number of months], in the same source flock or herd which had been determined by the Administrator, APHIS, prior to the exportation of these animals to the United States, to be equivalent to [certification level] of the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program authorized under 9 CFR part 54, subpart B.”

The Administrator will determine, based upon information supplied by the importer, whether the flock or herd from which the animals are to be imported participates in a program in the country of origin that is equivalent to the Voluntary Scrapie Flock Certification Program, and if so, at what level the source flock or herd should be classified.

In order for the Administrator to make a determination, the importer must supply the following information with the application for an import permit no less than 1 month prior to the anticipated date of importation:

The name, title, and address of a knowledgeable official in the veterinary services of the region of origin;

The details of scrapie control programs in the region of origin, including information on disease surveillance and border control activities and the length of time such activities have been in effect;

Any available information concerning additions, within the 5 years immediately preceding shipment to the United States, to the flock or herd from which the sheep and goats will be imported;

Any available data concerning disease incidence, within the 5 years immediately preceding shipment to the United States, in the flock or herd from which the sheep or goats are to be imported, including, but not limited to, the results of diagnostic tests, especially histopathology tests, conducted on any animals in the flock or herd;

Information concerning the health, within the 5 years immediately preceding shipment to the United States, of other ruminants, flocks, and herds with which the imported sheep and goats, and with which animals in the sheep or goats' flock or herd might have had physical contact, and a description of the type and frequency of such physical contact; and

Any other information requested by the Administrator in specific cases as needed to make a determination.