Words used in this part in the singular form shall be deemed to import the plural, and vice versa, as the case may demand. Except where the context otherwise requires, for the purposes of this part 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 flockowner. A flockowner who is participating in the Plan through an agreement with a participating hatchery.

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

Authorized agent. Any person designated under § 145.11(a) to collect official samples for submission to an authorized laboratory in accordance with part 147 of this subchapter.

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

Authorized testing agent. Any person designated under § 145.11(a) to collect official samples for submission to an authorized laboratory in accordance with part 147 of this subchapter and to perform the stained antigen, rapid whole blood test for pullorum typhoid.

Avian influenza. Avian influenza is defined as an infection of poultry caused by any influenza A virus of the H5 or H7 subtypes or by any influenza A virus with an intravenous pathogenicity index (IVPI) greater than 1.2 (or as an alternative at least 75 percent mortality).

Baby poultry. Newly hatched poultry (chicks, poults, ducklings, goslings, keets, etc.).

Colon bacilli. For the purpose of this chapter, those organisms which are gram negative, non spore-forming bacilli, which ferment lactose with gas formation, and serve as an index of fecal contamination.

Dealer. An individual or business that deals in commerce in hatching eggs, newly-hatched poultry, and started poultry obtained from breeding flocks and hatcheries. This does not include an individual or business that deals in commerce in buying and selling poultry for slaughter only.

Department. The U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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

Equivalent or equivalent requirements. 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.

Exposed (Exposure). Contact with birds, equipment, personnel, supplies, or any article infected with, or contaminated by, communicable poultry disease organisms.

Flock—(1) As applied to breeding. All poultry of one kind of mating (breed and variety or combination of stocks) and of one classification on one farm;

(2) As applied to disease control. All of the poultry on one farm except that, at the discretion of the Official State Agency, any group of poultry which is segregated from another group and has been so segregated for a period of at least 21 days may be considered as a separate flock.

Fluff sample. Feathers, shell membrane, and other debris resulting from the hatching of poultry.

Fowl typhoid or typhoid. A disease of poultry caused by Salmonella gallinarum.

Franchise breeder. A breeder who normally sells products under a specific strain or trade name and who authorizes other hatcheries to produce and sell products under this same strain or trade name.

Franchise hatchery. A hatchery which has been authorized by a franchise breeder to produce and sell products under the breeder's strain or trade name.

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.

Hatchery. Hatchery equipment on one premises operated or controlled by any person for the production of baby poultry.

Independent flock. A flock that produces hatching eggs and that has no ownership affiliation with a specific hatchery.

Infected flock. A flock in which an authorized laboratory has discovered one or more birds infected with a communicable poultry disease for which a program has been established under the Plan.

Midlay. Approximately 2-3 months after a flock begins to lay or after a molted flock is put back into production.

Multiplier breeding flock. A flock that is intended for the production of hatching eggs used for the purpose of producing progeny for commercial egg or meat production or for other nonbreeding purposes.

Newcastle disease. Newcastle disease (ND) is defined as an infection of poultry caused by Newcastle disease virus (NDV), which is an avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (APMV-1) that meets one of the following criteria for virulence:

(1) The virus has an intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) in day-old chicks (Gallusgallus) of 0.7 or greater; or

(2) Multiple basic amino acids have been demonstrated in the virus (either directly or by deduction) at the C-terminus of the F2 protein and phenylalanine at residue 117, which is the N-terminus of the F1 protein. The term 'multiple basic amino acids' refers to at least three arginine or lysine residues between residues 113 and 116. Failure to demonstrate the characteristic pattern of amino acid residues as described in the preceding sentences would require characterization of the isolated virus by an ICPI test.

NPIP Program Standards. A document that contains tests and sanitation procedures approved by the Administrator in accordance with § 147.53 of this subchapter for use under this subchapter. This document may be obtained from the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) website at http://www.poultryimprovement.org/ or by writing to the Service at National Poultry Improvement Plan, APHIS, USDA, 1506 Klondike Road, Suite 101, Conyers, GA 30094.

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.

Official supervision—(1) As applied to Plan programs. The direction, inspection, and critical evaluation by the Official State Agency of compliance with the provisions of the Plan;

(2) As applied to non-Plan but equivalent State poultry improvement programs. The direction, inspection, and critical evaluation by an officer or agency of a State government, of compliance with a publicly announced State poultry improvement program.

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, ostriches, emus, rheas, cassowaries, waterfowl, and game birds, except doves and pigeons, which are bred for the primary purpose of producing eggs or meat.

Primary breeding flock. A flock composed of one or more generations that is maintained for the purpose of establishing, continuing, or improving parent lines.

Products. Poultry breeding stock and hatching eggs, baby poultry, and started poultry.

Program. Management, sanitation, testing, and monitoring procedures which, if complied with, will qualify, and maintain qualification for, designation of a flock, products produced from the flock, or a state by an official Plan classification and illustrative design, as described in § 145.10 of this part.

Public exhibition. A public show of poultry.

Pullorum disease or pullorum. A disease of poultry caused by Salmonella pullorum.

Reactor. A bird that has a positive reaction to a test, required or recommended in this part or in accordance with part 147 of this subchapter, for any poultry disease for which a program has been established under the Plan.

Salmonella. Any bacteria belonging to the genus Salmonella, including the arizona group.

Sanitize. To treat with a product which is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency as germicidal, fungicidal, pseudomonocidal, or tuberculocidal, in accordance with the specifications for use as shown on the label of each product. The Official State Agency, with the concurrence of the Service, shall approve each product or procedure according to its specified usage.

Senior Coordinator. An employee of the Service whose duties may include, but will not necessarily be limited to:

(1) Serving as executive secretary of the General Conference Committee;

(2) Serving as chairperson of the Plan Conference described in § 147.47;

(3) Planning, organizing, and conducting the Plan Conference;

(4) Reviewing NPIP authorized laboratories as described in § 147.52;

(5) Coordinating the State administration of the NPIP through periodic reviews of the administrative procedures of the Official State Agencies, according to the applicable provisions of the Plan and the Memorandum of Understanding;

(6) Coordinating rulemaking to incorporate the proposed changes of the provisions approved at the Plan conference into the regulations in parts 145, 146, and 147 of this subchapter;

(7) Directing the production of official NPIP publications;

(8) Proposing an annual budget for plan activities and the General Conference Committee; and

(9) Providing overall administration of the NPIP.

Service. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, of the Department.

Serial. The total quantity of completed product which has been thoroughly mixed in a single container and identified by a serial number.

Sexual maturity. The average age at which a species of poultry is biologically capable of reproduction.

Started poultry. Young poultry (chicks, pullets, cockerels, capons, poults, ducklings, goslings, keets, etc.) that have been fed and watered and are less than 6 months of age.

State. Any State, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico.

State Inspector. Any person employed or authorized under § 145.11(b) to perform functions under this part.

Stock. A term used to identify the progeny of a specific breeding combination within a species of poultry. These breeding combinations may include pure strains, strain crosses, breed crosses, or combinations thereof.

Strain. Poultry breeding stock bearing a given name produced by a breeder through at least five generations of closed flock breeding.

Succeeding flock. A flock brought onto a premises during the 12 months following removal of an infected flock.

Suspect flock. A flock shall be considered, for the purposes of the Plan, to be a suspect flock if any evidence exists that it has been exposed to a communicable poultry disease.

Trade name or number. A name or number compatible with State and Federal laws and regulations applied to a specified stock or product thereof.