The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced on June 18, 2026, its intention to revise and extend an existing information collection crucial for preventing the introduction of African Swine Fever into the United States. This federal notice, published in the Federal Register, directly addresses the growing concern that live dogs imported for resale from regions affected by ASF could act as a pathway for this devastating disease. APHIS is now inviting public comments until August 17, 2026, on these information collection activities, emphasizing the critical balance between facilitating animal imports and safeguarding a vital segment of the American agricultural economy.
Safeguarding the Swine Industry: The Threat of African Swine Fever
African Swine Fever is a severe, highly contagious, and often fatal viral disease that affects both domestic and wild pigs. It does not pose a threat to humans, but its presence can be catastrophic for swine populations. While the disease has not yet been detected within the United States, its global spread has been significant in recent years. APHIS is acutely aware of the potential economic devastation an outbreak would inflict on the nation's swine industry, which contributes an estimated $22.5 billion annually to the U.S. economy. This industry also heavily relies on exports, meaning an ASF incursion could severely disrupt international trade and livelihoods. The agency's proactive stance reflects a broader commitment to working with state and industry partners to erect robust biosecurity barriers.
Unintended Vectors: The Role of Imported Dogs
APHIS has identified a specific and critical pathway for potential ASF introduction: live dogs imported for resale from regions where ASF is known or reasonably believed to exist. The virus can spread not only among pigs but also through animals that come into contact with them, such as dogs. Furthermore, inanimate objects like bedding and packaging materials associated with these dogs can harbor the virus.
Recent data highlights the scale of this potential vector. APHIS reports that the number of import permits for commercial dogs from ASF-affected countries has been substantial. From August 28, 2022, through August 28, 2025, APHIS issued 5,773 permits, accounting for the entry of 11,467 dogs into the United States from these high-risk regions. Many of these imported dogs, including rescue animals, may have had direct or indirect exposure to ASF-affected or potentially affected swine in their countries of origin. Consequently, APHIS has determined that these dogs, along with their associated bedding, represent a quantifiable risk.
Regulatory Action: The Federal Order and Dog Import Record
To counter this identified risk, APHIS previously issued a Federal Order. This order implemented several restrictions specifically targeting the importation of dogs for resale from regions where ASF is present or suspected. A key component of this regulatory framework is the requirement for importers to verify compliance with these restrictions by completing and submitting a "Dog Import Record."
This record serves as a vital data collection tool. It captures essential information designed to mitigate the risk of ASF transmission. Importers must document specific characteristics of the dogs, their identification details, precise origin information, and entry particulars into the United States. Crucially, the record also requires information on the disposition of the dogs' bedding and packing material, as well as confirmation that the animals have undergone necessary bathing procedures. This comprehensive data allows APHIS to track potential exposure risks and ensure adherence to biosecurity protocols designed to prevent the virus from entering the country.
The Paperwork Reduction Act and Public Transparency
APHIS's current notice is issued under the mandates of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This federal statute requires agencies to obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget for any information collection that impacts the public. By issuing this notice, APHIS is seeking a 3-year extension and a revision to the approval for its information collection associated with the ASF import restrictions.
The agency has noted a decrease in the number of respondents reporting. However, the total number of responses and the overall burden hours reported for the collection have paradoxically increased, suggesting a higher frequency of reporting per respondent or more detailed submissions. This discrepancy underscores the importance of the public comment period.
APHIS explicitly seeks public feedback to address several key areas:
- To evaluate whether the collection of information remains necessary for the agency's functions and if it offers practical utility.
- To assess the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the public burden associated with this information collection. This includes scrutinizing the methodology and assumptions used to arrive at the current estimate of 0.5 hours per response, totaling 962 annual burden hours across 72 respondents and 1,924 annual responses.
- To identify opportunities to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information being collected.
- To explore methods to minimize the burden on respondents, potentially through the adoption of automated or electronic submission technologies.
All comments received will be summarized and included in APHIS's formal request to the OMB, becoming part of the public record. This open comment period is a critical mechanism for ensuring federal agencies operate efficiently and transparently, balancing regulatory needs with the administrative burden placed on citizens and businesses.
Broader Implications and Stakeholder Engagement
This APHIS initiative has direct implications for a range of stakeholders, particularly importers of live dogs for resale and animal breeders. For these groups, compliance with the Federal Order and the accurate submission of the Dog Import Record are not merely bureaucratic hurdles but essential contributions to national biosecurity. The detailed information collected assists APHIS in tracing potential disease vectors and ensuring that imported animals meet health standards.
Beyond the immediate impact on importers, the prevention of ASF has far-reaching consequences for the entire agricultural supply chain, including feed producers, veterinarians, meat processors, and exporters. The proactive measures taken by APHIS exemplify the continuous effort required to protect domestic animal populations from foreign animal diseases, a task that demands vigilance and adaptive regulatory responses. The public comment period offers a valuable opportunity for those directly affected to provide insights that could refine the process, making it more efficient without compromising its primary objective of disease prevention.
