United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Protecting 

Animal Health 

in a Global 

Environment
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

(APHIS) works to maintain clear rules for

trade involving animals and animal products

arriving in and leaving the United States.

The international credibility of APHIS’

Veterinary Services (VS) unit is a key factor

in sustaining favorable trade status for U.S.

animal exports.

Through its various programs, centers, and

laboratories, VS ensures the integrity of all

animal imports and exports, whether the

commodity at hand is a live animal, an animal product or byproduct, or a veterinary

biologic. This diligence helps protect the

United States against foreign animal diseases

that could compromise the health and marketability of U.S. livestock. VS also helps

reassure our trading partners that U.S. agricultural exports comply with their animal

and animal product health standards and

regulations.

Regionalization

A major new focus in the animal health trade

arena is the concept of regionalization.

Under this concept, APHIS will consider the

importation of a commodity from a specific

region of a country even though other parts

of that country may be affected by an animal

disease that does not exist in the United

States. Before any decision is made, however,

APHIS carefully assesses the risk associated

with the disease and the boundaries between

disease-free and disease-affected areas of a

country to determine the safety and feasibility of allowing imports from a specified area.

An example of regionalization is the U.S.

recognition of African swine fever-free

regions in Italy. While Italy is not completely

free of the disease, agriculture officials there

presented APHIS with information including

surveillance data, which was reviewed by

APHIS specialists. A risk assessment conducted by APHIS personnel supported the

conclusion that Italy, except for the island of

Sardinia, was free of African swine fever and

can without significant risk export swine and

pork products to the United States.

Negotiating Agreements

The negotiations required to establish such

technical agreements as those needed to

apply the concept of regionalization are

worked out with the assistance of VS’

Sanitary Issues Management (SIM) staff. This

team negotiates both import and export

agreements that ensure the free flow of agricultural trade between the United States and

other nations. The SIM staff has the primary

responsibility for planning, coordinating,

and helping to resolve animal health issues

that impede trade. To make such agreements

possible, SIM works to harmonize international standards, agency policies, and foreign

and domestic quarantines that deal with the

movement of animals and animal products

and byproducts. The SIM team also makes

science-based risk-management decisions on

2 Protecting Animal Health in a Global Environment

Today’s global marketplace means

greater access than ever before to

agricultural commodities from around

the world, but it also requires greater

vigilance to ensure that imports and

exports comply with international

standards for trade.
petitions from foreign trading partners who

want to export regulated articles to the

United States.

The SIM staff is the primary USDA source for

addressing science-based animal health concerns affecting agricultural trade. First and

foremost, the SIM staff is concerned with

safeguarding American agriculture. With

that in mind, the team provides authoritative

technical expertise for interpreting the

intent and applicability of animal health

requirements. Such interpretations are provided in response to inquiries from Federal,

State, international, and territorial officials,

private industry, and the public. In addition,

SIM employees consult and advise U.S. agricultural attachés and animal health officials

of foreign countries on issues of foreign animal quarantine laws and regulations. The

team is instrumental in resolving questions

that could lead to misunderstandings or

ambiguity. Members of the SIM staff often

travel to foreign countries to resolve trade

disputes or clarify regulations that could

affect market opportunities for U.S. exports.

By ensuring appropriate U.S. representation

and participation in regional and global animal health organizations and in the development of policies and standards, the SIM team

is protecting the future of U.S. agriculture

and promoting new opportunities for trade.

Setting Standards for

International Trade

In order to ensure that international animalhealth standards represent the interests and

concerns of the United States, VS plays an

active role in meetings of the Office

International des Epizooties (OIE), a 155-

member-country standards-setting organization. OIE works continuously to update old

standards in the International Animal Health

Code. Each member country has an opportunity to comment on the updated drafts, and

VS takes this responsibility seriously. By

sending the proposals out to experts

throughout the United States, VS ensures

that new animal health standards are fair and

scientifically justified. If U.S. experts disagree

with a proposed standard, VS then has the

opportunity to send alternative language to

OIE and explain why the United States disagrees with the position.

While OIE is not obligated to make changes

suggested by member countries, each country does have a chance to vote on the proposals at the organization’s annual meeting. VS

is focused on building coalitions with countries such as Canada, Mexico, Australia, and

New Zealand in order to strengthen the

United States’ position and move OIE away

from traditionally Eurocentric positions.

These new international standards will shape

the future of animal trade, and it is important that the United States have a strong

voice in the organization. In addition to

updating animal health standards, OIE sets

international standards for handling diagnostic tests and vaccines as well as fish

health.

While working to establish and test international standards and regulations, VS also

focuses on maintaining a safeguarding

system for U.S. animal and animal product

and byproduct imports and exports.

VS’ Partner in Protection

With the help of APHIS’ Agricultural

Quarantine and Inspection program (AQI) in

the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ)

unit, VS oversees and implements the importation of animals and animal products and

byproducts. Through their stringent import

procedures, VS and PPQ work to prevent foreign animal diseases from entering the country. The close proximity of some foreign

animal diseases to the United States highlights the importance of APHIS’ import

procedures.

Protecting Animal Health in a Global Environment 3

Members of the SIM

staff often travel 

to foreign countries

to resolve trade

disputes or clarify

regulations that

could affect market

opportunities for

U.S. exports.
For instance, classical swine fever (hog

cholera) has been diagnosed in Haiti and the

Dominican Republic. In April 2000, the

United States and the Dominican Republic

signed a cooperative agreement that initiates

a passenger predeparture inspection program in order to decrease the risk of pork

products possibly infected with classical

swine fever virus entering the United States.

Such nearby threats to our animal health

pose a serious problem, but threats traveling

across the ocean can be just as dangerous.

For instance, between 1997 and 1999, contagious equine metritis was detected in several

horses imported from overseas while the animals were being held in quarantine at U.S.

ports of entry. In each instance, the individual animal had been certified as free of that

disease prior to shipment.

These threats to U.S. animal health, whether

coming from nearby or faraway areas, cause

personnel from VS and PPQ to be especially

vigilant in their work. Together they make

sure animals and animal products and

byproducts entering the United States do not

pose a significant risk of spreading foreign

animal diseases. AQI personnel inspect

incoming baggage at ports of entry and confiscate any prohibited products. PPQ inspectors also enlist the aid of the Beagle Brigade,

dogs specially trained to detect various prohibited agricultural products, including

meats and animal products.

Establishing Import Rules

Rules regarding the importation of animals

and animal products and byproducts already

established by VS and other international

standards-setting organizations are enforced

through the AQI program and VS’ National

Center for Import and Export (NCIE). NCIE

bases these regulations on scientific findings

of risk. While VS allows the importation of a

variety of animals and animal products and

byproducts from around the world, some

commodities are not even considered for

import because the disease risk associated

with the product is too great. For example,

the United States does not allow the importation of ruminants or ruminant products

from the European Union because of the

threat of bovine spongiform encephalopathy,

also called mad cow disease.

Strict rules have been established to ensure

that animals and animal products and

byproducts that are allowed for importation

to the United States meet VS’ requirements.

All live animals and poultry must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by an

official of the exporting country. Imports of

livestock and poultry must also be quarantined and thoroughly inspected at an animal

import center to confirm they are disease

free.

APHIS also regulates the importation of veterinary biologics, such as vaccines, bacterins,

diagnostics, etc., that are used to prevent,

treat, or diagnose animal disease. VS’ Center

for Veterinary Biologics ensures that all veterinary biologics produced in, or imported

into, the United States are pure, safe, potent,

and effective. Foreign manufacturers may

only export such biologics to the United

States by permit.

To save importers time and streamline the

application process, VS now allows importers

to apply for animal product permits online.

Importers can access the Import

Authorization System at

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/

NCIE/fac_imp.html. Not only does the site

allow importers to fill out a permit application online, but importers can also track the

status of a pending application or amend a

current application. Although importers still

must apply for live animal permits and veterinary biologics permits by printing out a

copy of their filled-in application forms and

mailing them to VS, the agency is developing

interactive forms that will enable importers

to do all their permits entirely online.

4 Protecting Animal Health in a Global Environment

The close proximity

of some foreign

animal diseases to

the United States

highlights the

importance of

APHIS’ import

procedures.
Protecting America’s Exports

While border inspection and participation in

international standards-setting organizations pay huge dividends in keeping disease

out and allowing our producers to raise animals in a disease-free environment, these

efforts, along with emergency preparedness

and surveillance activities, also enable the

United States to capitalize on world export

markets. APHIS is in the forefront in facilitating the export of live animals and

germplasm due to the agency’s ability to

confidently certify the United States’ animal

health status to foreign trading partners.

To maintain the world’s confidence in the

integrity of the health of U.S. animals and

animal products, VS ensures that livestock

headed to other countries meets the standards required by those nations. Physical

examinations and blood tests—usually done

by USDA-accredited veterinarians—cover

both U.S. export requirements and the frequently complex requirements of the receiving nation. A VS veterinarian endorses

export health certificates only after all tests

and other requirements have been met. Then

a final examination is conducted by a VS veterinarian at the port of export before the

livestock or poultry leave the country.

NCIE works closely with exporters who

engage in trade with foreign nations. The

International Regulation Retrieval System, a

database maintained by VS, lists the animal

health requirements of other countries. Both

exporters and veterinarians can access this

retrieval system on the Internet.

Exporters realize that, if the United States

were to become known for harboring a foreign animal disease, other countries would

be hesitant to accept U.S. commodities. That

could be disastrous for the U.S. export industry, and efforts are in place to protect the

integrity of U.S. exports. VS’ National Animal

Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) collects

information on the status of animal health in

the United States. The program, which began

in 1983, estimates the level of selected

domestic diseases and also estimates producer awareness of foreign animal diseases.

In addition, serums are collected and banked

through NAHMS as a possible resource for

determining the presence of new diseases.

Additional efforts are being made to

strengthen the systematic monitoring of animal diseases at the State level. State veterinarians already voluntarily submit monthly

reports to OIE on the presence or absence of

clinical diseases in their States, and then OIE

informs governments worldwide on the existence of animal diseases.

In order to monitor an illness, however, one

must first be able to identify its origin. The

National Veterinary Services Laboratories

(NVSL), with locations in Ames, IA, and

Plum Island, NY, are especially valuable in

this regard. For instance, in the fall of 1999,

a mysterious illness appeared in birds,

horses, and humans in upstate New York.

Working with laboratory personnel from the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

personnel at NVSL quickly isolated the cause

of the illness, which was soon identified as

West Nile virus. This was the first appearance

of West Nile virus in the Western

Hemisphere.

Protecting Animal Health in a Global Environment 5
If the United States ever has an outbreak of a

foreign animal disease, VS stands ready to

contain or eradicate the disease immediately.

This readiness allows trade to continue with

minimal interruptions and provides insurance for farmers and producers that dreaded

animal diseases will not become established

in this country. With its state-of-the-art

Emergency Management Operations Center

at its headquarters in Riverdale, VS can coordinate efforts to manage disease outbreaks

all over the United States. VS also conducts

test exercises regularly to practice its

response techniques. In the rare event of a

serious foreign animal disease outbreak, a VS

task force known as the Regional Emergency

Animal Disease Eradication Organization

(READEO) team can be onsite rapidly to

implement the measures necessary to contain the disease. The last time a READEO was

called into action was in 1983 to eradicate an

outbreak of avian influenza.

CITES-Protected Animals and Birds

In addition to their other duties, APHIS

employees cooperate with the Department of

the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

(FWS) in honoring the Convention on

International Trade in Endangered Species

in Flora and Fauna (CITES). CITES is a protective treaty that regulates the commercial

trade of endangered plants and animals and

monitors trade involving species threatened

with extinction in the near future. More than

123 countries, including the United States,

have endorsed this treaty.

Although FWS is responsible for overseeing

all aspects of CITES within the United States,

wildlife officials consult with APHIS to

ensure that exotic animal species entering

the country under CITES meet animal quarantine requirements so that these animals

will not introduce pests and diseases that

could endanger animal health of the livestock industries of the United States. When

U.S. zoos apply to FWS for CITES permits to

import protected animals, FWS verifies with

APHIS that these facilities are in compliance

with the Animal Welfare Act. APHIS inspectors at ports of entry are also trained to identify CITES-protected species and to notify

the Department of the Interior if these

species are found during inspection.

Safeguarding American agriculture is a

responsibility that requires constant diligence in order to maintain trade markets for

animal exports and ensure that animal

imports are disease free. VS never lets its

guard down in the fight against foreign animal diseases. At ports of entry, APHIS headquarters, VS laboratories, and field offices

across the Nation, veterinarians are working

to ensure that domestic livestock is protected against disease and that all trade policies are in the best interest of U.S. producers

and continue to safeguard American agriculture. After all, tomorrow’s animal health

depends on today’s activities.

For more information about APHIS

programs, visit the APHIS homepage at

http://www.aphis.usda.gov

6 Protecting Animal Health in a Global Environment

Safeguarding

American

agriculture is a

responsibility that

requires constant

diligence in order 

to maintain trade

markets for animal

exports and ensure

that animal imports

are disease free.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination in all its

programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,

religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or

family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons

with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of

program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact

USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil

Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call (202) 720–5964 (voice and TDD).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
United States

Department of

Agriculture

Animal and Plant

Health Inspection

Service

Miscellaneous 

Publication No. 1576

Issued September 2001