Animal Disease Traceability Rule in Effect in March

CDA Responds to New Federal Animal Disease Traceability Rule
Rule Effective Date:  March 11, 2013
 
LAKEWOOD, Colo. – The US Department of Agriculture released its new Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) rule earlier this year.  Its main purpose is to ensure a rapid response when livestock disease events take place.
 
“I am encouraged by the new rule; Colorado’s livestock industry can greatly benefit by a national program,” said State Veterinarian, Dr. Keith Roehr.  “An efficient and accurate animal disease traceability system helps reduce the number of animals involved in an investigation, reduces the time needed to respond, and decreases the cost to producers and the government.”
 
On January 9, 2013, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Veterinary Services published the final rule.  Their mission is to protect American agriculture by helping ensure the health of livestock; this new rule is a vital component of that mission.  The goal of ADT is to improve the traceability of animals that move between states involved in a disease outbreak.
 
Livestock producers affected the most by the rule will be those who have cattle; other species have minimal changes to current identification standards.  Some of the implications for veterinarians, auction markets, and producers involve the issuing of health certificates, using the appropriate official identification methods, acquiring the interstate movement requirements, and record keeping.
 
The new federal traceability rule will also require the State Veterinarian’s Office to meet new animal disease traceability performance standards which will increase CDA’s capabilities to respond to a significant livestock disease and ultimately help protect the Colorado livestock industry from the negative impacts of a disease outbreak.
 
Additional Resources
USDA Traceability Website:  http://www.aphis.usda.gov/traceability/
Final Rule Q & A:  http://www.aphis.usda.gov/traceability/downloads/rule_movement_general.pdf
USDA ADT Materials and Guides by species:  http://www.aphis.usda.gov/traceability/materials.shtml
CDA Traceability Information:  www.colorado.gov/ag/animals and click on “Traceability”