Partnerships 

Across 

Nations

Animal and

Plant Health

Inspection

Service

United States

Department of

Agriculture
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

recognizes the historic rights of sovereign

tribal governments to govern themselves

and manage their resources. Further, USDA

acknowledges its obligations under treaties,

statutes, and executive orders to protect and

maintain the lands, resources, and areas traditionally used by American Indians and Alaska

Natives. The latter issue includes Native

Americans’ retaining utilization of and access to

off-reservation lands and natural resources for

purposes of hunting, gathering food and cultural

and medicinal plants, grazing livestock on open

and unclaimed lands, and fishing in customary

places. The Department is committed to building

day-to-day working relationships with Native

American governments and respecting tribal 

heritage and cultural values when planning and

initiating its programs.

Programs covering nearly all these issues are

managed within USDA’s 16 agencies. The Animal

and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is

charged with protecting America’s agricultural

resources by keeping foreign pests and diseases

out of the country; regulating the introduction,

importation, interstate movement, and field

release of genetically engineered organisms that

could pose a plant pest risk; minimizing damage

caused by wildlife; and protecting certain animals

from inhumane treatment.

APHIS officials work cooperatively with tribal

governments, other Federal agencies and departments, and State and local organizations to enlist

their interest and support in efforts mutually ben-
eficial to all parties involved. Program specialists

maintain contacts to better consult with Native

American leaders relative to tribal concerns and

issues. Managers and program coordinators

within the agency consider the impact of agency

decisions on tribes and consult with tribal governments to ensure that tribal rights, issues, and concerns are factored in during rulemaking and the

development of projects, programs, and policies.

APHIS Native American 

Working Group (ANAWG)

In April 1994, the President directed all Federal

agencies to improve program delivery to Native

Americans in the now more than 560 federally

recognized tribes. APHIS responded to this directive by establishing the ANAWG, which is made

up of representatives from all APHIS program

areas. The group advises the agency’s top management about ways to enhance program delivery

and accessibility to tribes, intertribal committees,

and related organizations, such as the Intertribal

Agriculture Council, the Native American Fish

and Wildlife Society, and the Intertribal Bison

Cooperative. The ANAWG also facilitates the

coordination of active partnerships with tribal

governments by providing assistance and advice

to the various agency program areas. In addition,

ANAWG representatives work with their program

leaders to be sure that Native American needs are

taken into account when new strategic plans for

APHIS programs are developed.
The ANAWG functions under the direction of

the leader of APHIS, the agency’s Administrator.

The Administrator retains authority for establishing agency policy relating to all APHIS activities

and programs of interest to Native Americans.

APHIS Program Areas

APHIS promotes the health of animal and plant

resources; regulates the introduction and movement of genetically engineered materials; protects

agricultural and natural resources, property, and

human health and safety; protects and enhances

ecosystems; works to maximize America’s share in

world agricultural trade; and promotes animal

welfare. Fair and safe agricultural trade standards and practices are ensured through APHIS’

cooperation with customers and stakeholders.

APHIS also develops biologically sound pest and

disease exclusion, detection, and control programs

and promotes international standards and 

globally recognized certification systems, ensuring

an abundance of agricultural commodities for

U.S. consumers.

APHIS maintains a highly motivated and capable team of diverse individuals who share leadership within an agency community that cares

about the professional and personal lives of 

others. Through shared leadership, APHIS 

anticipates and responds to issues involving

• animal and plant health,

• agricultural biotechnology,

• wildlife damage,

• global economics,

• environmental protection, and

• animal care and welfare.
Animal and Plant Health

APHIS specialists provide technical assistance to

tribal, State, and local governments in plant and

animal pest and disease detection and control programs. APHIS veterinarians administer national

programs to protect U.S. livestock and poultry

resources and provide technical assistance and

vital support to tribal, State, and local cooperators to eradicate and control livestock and poultry

pests and diseases. APHIS specialists also conduct

surveillance and detection programs to further

safeguard the Nation’s agricultural resources. In

support of all field programs, APHIS scientists

conduct methods-development and research 

activities.

Agricultural Biotechnology

Using the authority granted by the Plant

Protection Act of 2000, APHIS personnel work to

protect America’s agriculture by ensuring the safe

importation, interstate movement, and field

release of genetically engineered organisms such

as plants, insects, and micro-organisms. Our scientists analyze the potential effects on plant

health of introducing genetically engineered

organisms into the environment and regulate the

release and movement of these organisms. APHIS

ensures compliance through inspections, strong

educational and outreach efforts, and comprehensive investigations.

Wildlife Damage

APHIS provides Federal leadership and expertise

to help solve problems that occur when human

activity and wildlife are in conflict with one

another. Program goals include providing highquality wildlife services that protect agriculture,
wildlife, and other natural resources, property,

and human health and safety. APHIS wildlife

management personnel can provide assistance to

significantly reduce damage caused by wildlife

while also protecting threatened and endangered

species. The agency’s wildlife personnel develop

and use effective, flexible methods that are biologically, environmentally, and socially sound. In

addition to our traditional agricultural protection

programs, APHIS’ wildlife management work

includes providing assistance in aviation safety,

wildlife disease surveillance and emergency

response, and rabies management in wildlife.

Global Economics

APHIS works closely with other countries to

facilitate agricultural trade. To accomplish this,

we incorporate international standards and marketing concerns in our domestic agricultural programs. To reduce the threat of pests and diseases

from overseas, APHIS scientists seek international

cooperation and coordination to develop animal

and plant pest- and disease-eradication programs

abroad and find new solutions to pest and disease

problems. We also help importers by inspecting

and treating some commodities in foreign countries before the commodities are sent to the

United States.

Environmental Protection

APHIS ensures that its programs comply with

applicable environmental laws, regulate and

license veterinary biological products, and issue

notifications and permits for genetically engineered organisms. All employees are encouraged

to exercise environmental responsibility and

develop and implement systems based on environ-
mentally sound decisionmaking. Our scientists

analyze the potential effects of introducing genetically engineered organisms into the environment

and issue notifications and permits to regulate the

release and movement of these organisms. APHIS

promotes programs using biological control methods to limit damage to crops caused by plant

pests and diseases while lessening the public’s

dependence on pesticides.

Animal Care and Welfare

APHIS administers the Animal Welfare Act

(AWA), a law that ensures humane conditions for

many warmblooded animals being transported by

common carriers or being used in research or

teaching, for exhibition, and in the wholesale pet

trade. APHIS inspectors enforce the mandates of

the AWA through unannounced inspections and

penalties when necessary. The agency also

enforces the Horse Protection Act to prevent the

cruel practice of “soring” to train gaited horses,

such as the Tennessee walking horse.

The following lists tabulate some of APHIS’ most

prominent ongoing programs:

Animal and Plant Health Programs

• Cattle and swine brucellosis

• Bovine tuberculosis

• Pseudorabies in swine

• Scrapie in sheep and goats

• Import/Export of animals, plants, and products

• Grasshopper, gypsy moth, imported fire ant, 

sudden oak death, boll weevil, Asian-long

horned beetle, and emerald ash borer

• Integrated pest management

• Exotic fruit flies

• Phytosanitary certification for plants and plant

products
Biotechnology Programs

• Authorization and oversight of introductions 

of regulated genetically engineered organisms

• Evaluation of petitions to grant nonregulated 

status to certain genetically engineered 

organisms

Wildlife Management Programs

• Protection of agricultural resources, including 

livestock and aquaculture

• Protection of natural resources, including 

threatened and endangered wildlife species

• Protection of property and facilities from 

wildlife damage

• Protection of public health and safety from 

threats caused by wildlife

• Identification of new and improvement of 

existing methodologies to resolve wildlife 

damage and conflicts (research)

• Targeted disease surveillance (e.g., avian 

influenza) in wild animals.

Environmental Programs

• Biological control of plant pests and diseases

• Compliance with environmental statutes

• Biotechnology regulation

Animal Welfare

• Care of pets during transport and 

warmblooded animals at zoos

• Protection of gaited horses

• Inspection of animal dealers and research 

facilities

International Work

• Preclearance of foreign commodities

• U.S. agricultural exports

• International pest and disease surveillance 

and control
APHIS Change Agenda

APHIS employees have identified themselves as

“change agents.” We are continually striving to

make changes to more effectively serve farmers,

ranchers, and other Americans nationwide. We

care about providing quality service and support

to our stakeholders and cooperators. To meet

new needs in the global marketplace, we develop

and manage information as an agency resource to

address agency needs. The goal is to improve

program delivery, for all segments of the population, through the development and communication of scientific, technical, and administrative

information.

Valuing People

We value diversity in our workforce. APHIS promotes and facilitates continual learning as a business strategy needed to exceed our customers’

expectations and survive and thrive in the accelerated change-environment of the 21st century.

Continual learning and empowerment give APHIS

employees the tools to understand, refine, and

better participate in building partnerships nationwide with stakeholders and on a government-togovernment basis with American Indian Tribes.

Since 1995, we have demonstrated the importance

we place on this subject in APHIS directive

1040.1, “Relationships With Native Americans

and Tribal Governments.” This document

explains to all employees the agency’s policy concerning American Indians.
Getting in Touch With Us

This leaflet is part of an information package that

explains how readers can contact the particular

APHIS programs of interest for more specific

information. To receive additional information,

write to

Office of the Administrator

USDA–APHIS

Room 312–E, Jamie L. Whitten Building

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20250

or contact your local APHIS office. And please

visit the Native American Working Group’s Web

site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/anawg for more

details.

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.

Revised October 2007

APHIS 10–05–005