Horse Protection

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 9 CFR Part 11 [Docket No. APHIS-2022-0004] RIN 0579-AE70 ( printed page 56924) AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: We propose to amend the horse protection regulations to provide that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will screen, train, and authorize qualified persons to conduct inspections at horse shows, horse exhibitions, horse sales, and horse auctions to ensure compliance with the Horse Protection Act (the Act). The proposed actions are intended to strengthen regulatory requirements to protect horses from the practice of soring and eliminate unfair competition as the Act requires. DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before October 20, 2023. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov . Enter APHIS-2022-0004 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, then select the Comment button in the list of documents. Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2022-0004, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at www.regulations.gov or in our reading room, which is located in Room 1620 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW, W…