The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing to eliminate import requirements for canine and mule semen from anywhere in the world and for equine semen from Canada.

“We believe these changes are warranted because these imports pose no threat of introducing diseases to U.S. livestock,” said Alfonso Torres, deputy administrator of the veterinary services program of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a part of USDA’s marketing and regulatory programs mission area.

Under the proposed amendment, canine and mule semen from anywhere in the world and equine semen from Canada would no longer need an import permit, declaration, health certificate, or other document and would not have to meet any other requirements when imported into the United States.

The proposal also would require that other animal semen from anywhere in the world, except for equine semen from Canada, be imported only in shipping containers that bear an official government seal