The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Animal Health will hold a public teleconference on traceabiility that will take place on Friday, Sept. 23 from noon to 5 p.m. EDT. The meeting was called to discuss the recently published proposed rule on tracing the interstate transportation of livestock and the USDA’s bovine tuberculosis program. The proposed traceability rule would establish national identification and documentation requirements for livestock moving across state lines. The rule would cover cattle, bison, sheep, goats, swine, captive cervids, poultry, horses and other equines. Those animals would have to be officially identified and accompanied by an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection. The requirements would not apply when moving livestock within tribal lands that straddle a state line and have existing traceability rules, or when moving livestock to a custom slaughter facility in accordance with state and USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service regulations. Other exemptions would exist on a species-specific basis. More information on the rule can be found at www.regulations.gov, where public comments are being accepted through Nov. 9. Regarding the USDA’s bovine tuberculosis program, discussion will be given to possible wildlife surveillance requirements, test-and-remove management plans and the issue of indemnity within the context of the new bovine tuberculosis-brucellosis framework that is under development. Anyone wishing to listen to the teleconference may call 888-790-3291 and enter passcode 1411045. Public access to the meeting will be available through Twitter by mentioning @USDA_APHIS in a tweet and including hashtag #SACAH.
