Animal health, traceability top APHIS agenda

Animal disease traceability in the United States will be the primary discussion topic at USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service meeting of the Secretary's Advisory Committee on March 4.

APHIS has spent much of the past year developing a framework for U.S. animal disease traceability. Through the framework, APHIS intends to implement a flexible yet coordinated approach to animal disease traceability that uses the strengths and expertise of states, tribes and producers by empowering them to find and use the traceability methods that work best for them.

APHIS conducted extensive outreach on the traceability framework and continues to seek input through the committee. The committee advises the Secretary of Agriculture on the means to prevent, conduct surveillance on, monitor, control or eradicate animal diseases of national importance. In doing so, the committee considers public health, conservation of natural resources and the stability of livestock economies.

Two other meetings, one on May 13 and the other on July 15, will be conducted as teleconferences and are open to the public, although public participants will be in listen-only mode. Those who wish to participate click here.

Source: ThePigSite.com