USDA Announces Proposed Rule for Animal Disease Traceability
In an effort to improve the system that tracks where diseased and at-risk animals are, where they have been, and when, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced a proposed rule that would establish new regulations for disease traceability of U.S. livestock moving interstate.
According to the proposed rule, unless specifically exempted, livestock moved interstate would have to be officially identified and accompanied by an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection or other documentation, such as owner-shipper statements or brand certificates. It also would encourage the use of low-cost technology and specifies approved forms of official identification for each species, such as metal ear tags for cattle.