Becca asked: >So listen, I was curious as to "what now". I mean what happens now at >this point with APHIS. Or what is "not" happening. At this point we wait. APHIS has a long procedure and usually many things in the pipeline, and believe it or not they read each comment they get and check references when a bibliography is present, as was true for something like 5 submissions. The process usually takes at least a year. When an industry is affected or the problems stated are serious ones it can take 2 or 3 years because they try carefully to fine tune everything. Then one day, out of the blue we will hear from APHIS which will have a detailed set of recommendations (I have read some from other issues and they tend to be beautifully researched and incredibly inclusive.) and then everyone will get a few short weeks to comment: either in support or in objection. Depending on what happens then we will get some improvements to regulations, a lot of improvements to regulations, or no improvements to regulations. They have a page showing how this occurs. Here is some info along with some links: <http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0511 &L=FERRET-SEARCH&P=R12898&I=-3> and here is an excellent slide show on what occurs: <http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/rulemaking.pdf> -- Sukie (not a vet) Ferret Health List co-moderator http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth FHL Archives fan http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ replacing http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org International Ferret Congress advisor http://www.ferretcongress.org [Posted in FML issue 5122]