The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently proposed amendments to its import regulations for horses to mitigate the risk of transmitting equine disease, increase import flexibility and align regulations with international standards.

The proposal, outlined in an APHIS press release Nov. 26, aims to address the concern surrounding contagious equine metritis (CEM). The changes would increase the time allowed for horses to be held in CEM-affected regions without testing upon their return to the United States, require an import permit for horses transiting through these regions, and mandate the hygienic and safe transport of the horses.

“The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is seeking public comments on proposed amendments to its import regulations for horses,” according to a release. People can submit comments by mail or online through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. The deadline for comments is January 28, 2022, according to the Federal Register.

Additional changes proposed include requiring health certifications for all horses, removing the requirement of horses imported from Canada to be inspected upon entry, and the requirement of horses passing through Central America and the West Indies to be held to the same standards as those imported to the regions due to the higher risk of disease, the release said.

CEM is a venereal disease that has a “significant impact on reproduction,” the release said. It is caused by the bacterium taylorella equigenitalis. The disease does not affect humans.

APHIS, established in 1972, is in charge of protecting American agriculture, according to APHIS.USDA.gov. Its duties include monitoring the health and care of animals used in “research, exhibition and other activities.”