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Department of Agriculture unveils new direction for animal health traceability
The U.S. Cattlemen's Association applauded Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack's recent announcement that the USDA will undertake actions to further strengthen its animal disease prevention and response capabilities under a new, flexible framework for disease traceability in the U.S. One of USCA's core missions has been to work with USDA to develop an animal disease traceback system that meets the needs of animal health officials at the state and tribal level without burdening producers with additional costs or subjecting them to risk. Vilsack acknowledged the thousands of comments received by the agency on the previously proposed National Animal Identification System and said it is readily apparent that a new strategy for animal disease traceability is needed. "I've decided to revise prior policy and offer a new approach to animal disease traceability with changes that respond directly to the feedback we heard," said Vilsack. "The (new) framework provides the basic tenets of an improved animal traceability capability that will only apply to animals moved in the interstate commerce; be administered by the states and tribal nations to provide more flexibility; encourage the use of lower-cost technology; and be implemented transparently through federal regulations and the full rule-making process." Vilsack said one of USDA's first steps will be to convene a forum with animal health leaders for the states and tribal nations to initiate a dialogue about the possible ways of achieving the flexible, coordinated approach to animal disease traceability. An initial meeting with state and tribal animal health officials is planned for March 18 and 19 in Kansas City to begin the rule-making process. "Additionally, USDA will be revamping the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Animal Health to address specific issues such as confidentiality and liability," said Vilsack. "The department will also be taking additional actions to further strengthen protections against the entry and spread of disease. These steps will include actions to lessen the risk from disease introduction, initiating and updating analyses on how animal diseases travel into the country, improving response capabilities and focusing on greater collaboration and analyses with states and industry on potential disease risk overall." USCA President Jon Wooster said Vilsack's comments demonstrate the agency's responsiveness to producer concerns. "This is welcome news," said Wooster. "Secretary Vilsack describes a future program that will support animal health officials at the local level, which is where the direction should come from and where control belongs."
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