Except where the context otherwise requires, for the purposes of this subpart the following terms shall be construed, respectively, to mean:

Administrator. The Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or any person authorized to act for the Administrator.

Affiliated flock. A meat-type flock that is owned by or has an agreement to participate in the Plan with a slaughter plant and that participates in the Plan through that slaughter plant.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Authorized Agent. Any person designated under §146.10(a) to perform functions under this part.

Authorized laboratory. An authorized laboratory is a laboratory that meets the requirements of §147.52 and is thus qualified to perform the assays in accordance with part 147 of this subchapter.

Classification. A designation earned by participation in a Plan program.

Commercial meat-type flock. All of the meat-type chickens, spent fowl, meat-type turkeys, commercial upland game birds, or commercial waterfowl on one farm. However, at the discretion of the Official State Agency, any group of poultry which is segregated from another group in a manner sufficient to prevent the transmission of H5/H7 LPAI and has been so segregated for a period of at least 21 days may be considered as a separate flock.

Commercial table-egg layer flock. All table-egg layers of common age or pullet source on one premises.

Commercial table-egg layer premises. A farm containing contiguous flocks of commercial table-egg layers under common ownership.

Commercial table-egg layer pullet flock. A table-egg layer flock prior to the onset of egg production.

Cooperating State Agency. Any State authority recognized by the Department to cooperate in the administration of the provisions of part 56 of this chapter. This may include the State animal health authority or the Official State Agency.

Department. The U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Domesticated. Propagated and maintained under the control of a person.

Equivalent. Requirements which are equal to or exceed the program, conditions, criteria, or classifications with which they are compared, as determined by the Official State Agency and with the concurrence of the Service.

H5/H7 low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI). An infection of poultry caused by an influenza A virus of H5 or H7 subtype that has an intravenous pathogenicity index in 6-week-old chickens less than or equal to 1.2 or causes less than 75 percent mortality in 4- to 8-week-old chickens infected intravenously, or an infection with influenza A viruses of H5 or H7 subtype with a cleavage site that is not consistent with a previously identified highly pathogenic avian influenza virus.

H5/H7 LPAI virus infection (infected). (1) Poultry will be considered to be infected with H5/H7 LPAI for the purposes of this part if:

(i) H5/H7 LPAI virus has been isolated and identified as such from poultry; or

(ii) Viral antigen or viral RNA specific to the H5 or H7 subtype of AI virus has been detected in poultry; or

(iii) Antibodies to the H5 or H7 subtype of the AI virus that are not a consequence of vaccination have been detected in poultry. If vaccine is used, methods should be used to distinguish vaccinated birds from birds that are both vaccinated and infected. In the case of isolated serological positive results, H5/H7 LPAI infection may be ruled out on the basis of a thorough epidemiological investigation that does not demonstrate further evidence of H5/H7 LPAI infection, as determined by the Cooperating State Agency, the Official State Agency, and APHIS.

(2) The official determination that H5/H7 LPAI virus has been isolated and identified, viral antigen or viral RNA specific to the H5 or H7 subtype of AI virus has been detected, or antibodies to the H5 or H7 subtype of AI virus have been detected may only be made by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories.

NPIP Technical Committee. A committee made up of technical experts on poultry health, biosecurity, surveillance, and diagnostics. The committee consists of representatives from the poultry and egg industries, universities, and State and Federal governments and is appointed by the Senior Coordinator and approved by the General Conference Committee. The NPIP Technical Committee is divided into three subcommittees (Mycoplasma, Salmonella, and Avian Influenza). NPIP Technical Committee Members may serve on one, two, or all three subcommittees. The committee will evaluate proposed changes to the Provisions and Program Standards of the Plan which include, but are not limited to, tests and sanitation procedures, and provide recommendations to the Delegates of the National Plan Conference as to whether they are scientifically or technically sound.

Official State Agency. The State authority recognized by the Department to cooperate in the administration of the Plan.

Person. A natural person, firm, or corporation.

Plan. The provisions of the National Poultry Improvement Plan contained in this part.

Poultry. Domesticated fowl, including chickens, turkeys, waterfowl, and game birds, except doves and pigeons, that are bred for the primary purpose of producing eggs or meat.

Program. Management, sanitation, testing, and monitoring procedures which, if complied with, will qualify, and maintain qualification for, designation of a flock, a slaughter plant, or a State by an official Plan classification and illustrative design, as described in §146.9 of this part.

Service. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

State. Any of the States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands of the United States, or any territory or possession of the United States.

State Inspector. Any person employed or authorized under §146.10(b) to perform functions under this part.

United States. All of the States.

[71 FR 56328, Sept. 26, 2006, as amended at 74 FR 14715, Apr. 1, 2009; 75 FR 10658, Mar. 9, 2010; 76 FR 15796, Mar. 22, 2011; 79 FR 38765, July 9, 2014; 81 FR 53250, Aug. 12, 2016; 83 FR 28355, June 19, 2018]