APHIS Factsheet

Veterinary Services April 2007

Protecting America 

From Foot-and-Mouth 

Disease and Other 

High-Consequence 

Livestock Diseases

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 

responsible for protecting U.S. livestock resources 

from the introduction of harmful, foreign pests and 

diseases. APHIS works to keep livestock healthy by 

conducting pest and disease education, exclusion, 

detection, and eradication activities. Outbreaks of 

foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) occur regularly in many 

other areas of the world and serve to underscore the 

importance of APHIS’ animal health safeguarding 

activities. These activities are critical to keeping FMD 

and other high-consequence livestock diseases out of 

the United States.

What is FMD?

FMD is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of 

cattle, swine, sheep, and other cloven-hooved 

animals. It is characterized by fever and blister-like 

lesions and erosions on the tongue and lips, in the 

mouth, on the teats, and between the hooves of 

affected animals. Most animals recover from FMD 

infection, but the disease leaves them debilitated. 

It also causes severe losses in the production of meat 

and milk. FMD is not recognized as a zoonotic 

disease.

 Due to its ability to spread rapidly among animals, 

and because it has grave economic as well as clinical 

consequences, FMD is one of the animal diseases 

that livestock owners dread most. The FMD virus can 

persist in contaminated fodder and the environment 

for many weeks, depending on the temperature and 

other conditions. There are 7 separate types of the 

FMD virus, with more than 60 subtypes. Immunity 

to one type of the virus does not protect an animal 

against other types.

 FMD can be spread by animals, people, or materials that bring the virus into physical contact with 

susceptible animals. There has not been an FMD outbreak in the United States since 1929. However, the 

disease is considered widespread in parts of Africa, 

Asia, Europe, and South America.

What is APHIS Doing to Keep FMD Out of the 

United States?

APHIS vigilantly and continuously monitors for FMD 

worldwide. APHIS stations veterinarians overseas 

to monitor FMD, to provide technical information and 

resources to help countries control and eradicate the 

disease, and to reduce the risk of FMD’s spread to 

the United States. Whenever FMD outbreaks occur, 

APHIS initiates regulatory action to prohibit the importation of live ruminants and swine and many animal 

products from the FMD-affected countries.

 APHIS works directly with Federal partners, including the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs 

and Border Protection, to screen cargo containing 

animal products and by-products of concern and to 

prohibit travelers from carrying into the United States 

any agricultural products that could spread FMD virus 

or other harmful agricultural pests and disease agents. 

Accordingly, passengers must declare upon entry all 

food items and other material of plant or animal origin 

in their possession. Failure to declare any items 

may result in delays and fines of up to $1,000 for a 

first-time offense, and potentially as high as $50,000. 

Travelers must also report recent visits to farms or 

other livestock facilities taken prior to their arrival in 

the United States.

 APHIS also works with the U.S. Armed Forces 

to ensure the cleaning and disinfection of military 

vehicles and equipment prior to returning to the United 

States from international duty.

 As part of its FMD public education campaign, 

APHIS disseminates information about the disease to 

USDA partners in industry and in State and local organizations in the United States. APHIS officials post 

advisory signs in airports and broadcast public service 

announcements to inform the public about this important issue and steps they can take to prevent FMD 

from entering the United States. APHIS also works 

with the air transportation and travel industries to raise 

awareness among travelers and airline passengers 

and crews about the risk of inadvertently spreading 

the FMD virus.

 In addition, Federal and State animal health 

officials have worked to inform private veterinarians to 

ensure heightened monitoring of domestic livestock 

for FMD. APHIS has response plans in the event the 

disease is detected in the United States (please refer 

to the APHIS Factsheet on Emergency Response to 

FMD and Other Foreign Animal Diseases).
United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, 

national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital 

status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, 

genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part 

of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance 

program. (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 to USDA, 

Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. , 

Washington , D.C. 20250–9410 , or call (800) 795–3272 (voice) or 

(202) 720–6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and 

employer. 

What Does APHIS Do to Prevent the Introduction 

of Other High-Consequence Livestock Diseases?

All of the activities that APHIS currently conducts 

to keep FMD out of the United States are the same 

ones that the Agency uses to prevent the introduction of other harmful and high-consequence livestock 

diseases. Other foreign animal diseases of concern 

include: African swine fever, African horse sickness, 

bovine spongiform encephalopathy, classical swine 

fever (hog cholera), contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, exotic Newcastle disease, highly pathogenic avian 

influenza, Rift Valley fever, rinderpest, and swine 

vesicular disease, among others.

What Can You Do to Help?

The success of APHIS’ efforts to keep FMD and other 

harmful livestock diseases out of the United States is 

dependent upon the support and cooperation of many 

people, including members of the livestock industry 

and supporting industries, veterinary practitioners, 

State and local government officials, Federal officials 

from other agencies and departments, and the general 

public.

 APHIS encourages livestock owners, livestock 

transport and slaughter personnel, and private veterinary practitioners to report any unusual animal health 

conditions to State or local veterinary officials. This is 

especially important if signs of illness are observed in 

animals that have had contact with other animals at 

markets, in feedlots, or at fairgrounds.

 Travelers can help by making sure they do not 

bring in prohibited food items or other products, soiled 

footwear, or soiled clothing items that could present 

a risk of transmitting the FMD virus or other disease 

agents. When you travel overseas, make sure that 

luggage, packages, and mail are free of any prohibited meats, dairy products, and other at-risk materials 

before bringing or sending them to the United States.

 In addition, travelers to foreign countries should 

make note of visits to farms, ranches, or other areas 

where livestock are raised or kept. Visits to zoos, 

circuses, fairs, and other facilities and events where 

livestock and animals are exhibited should also be 

noted. All such visits should be reported on the U.S. 

Customs Declaration Form upon return to the United 

States by answering “yes” to question number 11.d. 

(“Are you bringing with you: soil or have you visited 

a farm/ranch/pasture outside the United States?”) 

or to question number 12 (“Have you or any family 

members traveling with you been in close proximity of 

(such as touching or handling) livestock outside the 

United States?”). Remember, if in doubt, check “yes”!

 

 If you visited a farm or had any contact with livestock on your trip, you should avoid all contact with 

livestock, zoo animals, or wildlife for 5 days after your 

return to the United States.

 Dogs and cats cannot become infected with FMD. 

Nevertheless, travelers returning to the United States 

with pet dogs or cats that had contact with livestock 

or areas frequented by livestock must make sure the 

pet’s feet, fur, and bedding are free of any excessive 

dirt or mud. Pet bedding should not contain straw, 

hay, or other natural bedding. The pet should be 

bathed as soon as it reaches its final destination and 

be kept separate and apart from all livestock for at 

least 5 days after entry into the United States.

 Horses can be imported from FMD-affected countries as long as the exporting country complies with 

the FMD-preventive procedures required by APHIS. 

Upon entry into the United States, additional precautions are taken. For instance, horses from affected 

countries are wiped down with a disinfectant solution. 

Shipping crates, transportation vehicles, tack and 

other equipment, as well as footwear of personnel 

accompanying horses, must be cleaned and disinfected. Excess feed, hay, straw, and manure that 

arrive with a horse are incinerated.

Additional Information

For more information about FMD, contact:

USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services

National Center for Animal Health Emergency 

Management

4700 River Road, Unit 41

Riverdale, MD 20737–1231

Telephone: (301) 734–8073

Fax: (301) 734–7817