Advancing Animal Disease Traceability

(ADT) Road Map for

the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

A Three-Year Plan

Submitted by:

CARRY SHULOCK SEXTON

ANIMAL DISEASE TRACEABILITY COORDINATOR

MASSACHUSETTS DEPT. OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES

BOSTON, MA

617-626-1795

Submitted to:

DR. BRADLEY KEOUGH

AREA VETERINARIAN FOR MASSACHUSETTS

VETERINARY SERVICES

ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

146 MENDON STREET, STE. MM-2-W UXBRIDGE, MA 01569

(508) 363-2290

Date: January 3, 2023
Table of Contents

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY _________________________________________________________________ 3

II. CURRENT TRACEABILITY SITUATION ______________________________________________________ 4

2.1 Who are we?_____________________________________________________________________ 4

2.2 Where are we now? _______________________________________________________________ 5

2.3 Strengths and Weaknesses _________________________________________________________ 7

2.4 Opportunities and Threats __________________________________________________________ 7

2.5 Inventory of existing infrastructure and suitability assessment _____________________________ 8

III. VISION AND MISSION CONTEXT FOR ADVANCING TRACEABILITY _____________________________ 10

3.1 Vision Statement ________________________________________________________________ 10

3.2 Mission Statement _______________________________________________________________ 10

IV. TRACEABILITY REQUIREMENTS _________________________________________________________ 10

4.1 Strategic goal(s) _________________________________________________________________ 10

4.2 Programmatic goals (objectives) ____________________________________________________ 11

4.3 ADT Trace Performance Measures (TPMs) ____________________________________________ 11

4.4 Data requirements _______________________________________________________________ 12

4.5 Information technology plan _______________________________________________________ 13

4.6 Resource requirements____________________________________________________________ 14

4.7 Organizational needs _____________________________________________________________ 14

4.7.1 Executive support _____________________________________________________________ 14

4.7.2 Coordination and oversight procedures ____________________________________________ 15

4.7.3 Policy _______________________________________________________________________ 15

4.7.4 Staffing ______________________________________________________________________ 16

4.7.5 Budget requirements___________________________________________________________ 17

4.7.6 Outreach (required to be addressed within the Road Map) ____________________________ 18

4.8 Monitoring and reporting interstate movement activity _________________________________ 20

V. ADVANCING TRACEABILITY ____________________________________________________________ 20

5.1 Ranking of priorities for advancement and implementation of objectives ___________________ 20
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I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This Roadmap serves as the guidance for Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) for the 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts (MA, state) by the Massachusetts Department of 

Agricultural Resources Division of Animal Health (MDAR, Department, Division) 

from 2023 through 2025.

ADT is the ability to use unique animal identification, movement, sales, and testing 

records to determine and locate animals which may be at risk for disease due to 

association with other infected animals or premises. ADT information is also used 

for all-hazards and secure food supply planning and response, MDAR approaches 

this across the various programs and responsibilities of the Division, and pursues 

traceability for all livestock species, as well as companion animals to the extent 

possible.

MDAR collects ADT data from animal identification, movement, sales, permits, and 

testing records. The state performs and annual inventory of all livestock premises 

(“Barn Book”) conducted by local municipal animal inspectors. This data is entered 

into CoreOne, a web-based central database. Certificates of veterinary inspection 

that are required for interstate movements and for exhibitions are made available to 

both the sending and receiving states by being created and issued using an electronic 

service or by scanning paper documents for routing to CoreOne and to receiving 

states using a complementary product, CVI Central. CoreOne is being customized to 

suit MDARs departmental needs and will be more fully integrated and implemented 

throughout the 3-year period. 

The funding for these subscriptions and for the full-time ADT Coordinator is a mix 

of APHIS Cooperative Agreement (CA) funding and MDAR budgets. There is a 

need for additional staff to complete Barn Book data entry and to support CVI 

Central, with partial funding coming from the annual Umbrella CA. A limited 

number of RFID tags for cattle are supplied to MDAR annually by USDA and 

provided for free to producers and veterinarians, although this is subject to continued 

program funding. NUES tags for swine, Scrapie tags for small ruminants, and 

backtags to be used by cattle dealers are similarly provided for free. ADT funds 

have also been used to purchase ID applicator and RFID readers that are given to 

MA- accredited Category 2 veterinarians who agree to use eCVIs and RFID tags. 

The MDAR budget would not otherwise support these purchases. Items must be free 

to the public as new legislation would be required to allow the department to collect 

money for them.

Developing and implementing methods to monitor, validate, and report animal 

import/ export and identification statistics is a major goal for the first year of this 

agreement. Supporting the transition to electronic ID and documentation and 

enduring compliance with ADT regulations are goals throughout the timeframe. 
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Evaluating and potentially beginning the process to update state regulations related 

to ADT is planned for years 2-3.

MDAR conducts outreach and provides technical assistance to stakeholders that 

include the Department itself, producers and industry, veterinarians, and members of 

the public who depend on the Division to protect the health of MA herds. This 

includes training and continuing education on ADT components for veterinarians, 

municipal animal inspectors, fair and show inspector and exhibitors, and other 

stakeholders. MDAR works with sister agencies in MA and other states, USDA, and 

with national organizations to further policy, education, and regulatory compliance.

II. CURRENT TRACEABILITY SITUATION

2.1 Who are we?

The Division of Animal Health within the Massachusetts Department of 

Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is the primary entity overseeing ADT in 

the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Those with related responsibility 

within the Division are the ADT Coordinator, the State Veterinarian and 

Assistant State Veterinarian, the Director, and nine Animal Health 

Inspectors. There are an additional five office staff within the department 

with different programmatic roles. The Division oversees animal health 

for all domesticated species, including companion animals. MDAR 

partners with the Animal Rescue League and Massachusetts Society for 

the Protection of Animals, quasi-governmental agencies that have 

responsibility for animal welfare enforcement in the state.

MDAR works closely with internal and external stakeholders to promote 

and achieve animal disease traceability. Key regulatory agency partners 

include USDA APHIS VS and other states’ ADT administrators, 

particularly the SAHO offices in the states that form the New England 

States Animal Agricultural Security Alliance (NESAASA) along with 

MA: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. 

Non-governmental individuals and groups include accredited veterinarians 

and veterinary associations, the Cooperative Extension Service, 

Massachusetts Farm Bureau, fair and show boards and inspectors, and 

breed associations.

MDAR licenses livestock (bovine, porcine, caprine, and ovine), equine, 

and poultry dealers and transporters annually. There are four livestock 

markets within the state, all currently working as cull markets. 

Animal owners (producers) are the key stakeholders for ADT: their stock 

and economic well-being are at risk in the event of animal disease 

outbreak. They also bear responsibility for working with their 

veterinarians and requesting and applying animal IDs and maintaining 
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herd records while employing appropriate animal management methods to 

mitigate or prevent the spread of animal disease.

MA also has a unique group of stakeholders that are central to the state’s 

ADT efforts. Each municipality has at least one animal inspector 

(municipal animal inspector, or MAI) who is an employee of the town but 

who is appointed by the Director of Animal Health. In addition to 

managing rabies quarantines, the MAI verifies the health certificate and 

import permit information for bovines and camelids by visiting the 

destination premises and performs an annual inventory of all the livestock 

premises in the town. This inventory, referred to as the “Barn Book,” 

provides MDAR with information about the locations, species, and uses of 

livestock throughout the state. 

Dealer and market records are often used in real-world traces but are often 

found to be incomplete or inadequate. Additional and updated regulation 

and laws will be necessary to increase and improve the record-keeping 

requirements. New USDA market agreements will likewise be needed to 

close some gaps, for example, markets are not required to record existing 

IDs on consigned animals.

2.2 Where are we now?

ADT is the ability to use unique animal identification, movement, sales, and 

testing records to determine and locate animals which may be at risk for 

disease due to association with other infected animals or premises. ADT 

information is also used for all-hazards and secure food supply planning and 

response, MDAR approaches this across the various programs and 

responsibilities of the Division, and pursues traceability for all livestock 

species, as well as companion animals to the extent possible.

The ADT Coordinator works closely with the State Veterinarian and the 

Director to implement processes and infrastructure to manage ADT. This 

person’s areas of responsibility include managing import/ export 

documentation such as CVIs and permits, barn book information, tag 

distribution, tracebacks, reportable disease reporting, animal health fair and 

show rules, public record request response, and cooperative agreement 

writing and reporting. The coordinator identifies the premises targeted for 

surveillance in the event of HPAI or other disease outbreak and assists with 

that surveillance. Outreach, education, and technical assistance are a large 

part of the role. In addition, the MA ADT Coordinator is the NESAASA 

representative for the VS National Training and Exercise Program and 

coordinated the annual joint-approval process for health certificates to be 

used throughout the fair season in the New England states. A significant 

portion of the salary for this position is provided through the annual ADT 

cooperative agreement and the role is dependent on that funding.
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MDAR purchased and began implementing a private instance of CoreOne 

in 2022 after having used the USDA’s SCS/CoreOne since 2017. In addition 

to serving as the ADT database for tag and movement records supplemented 

by CVI Central (funded via ADT cooperative agreement), implemented in 

2021, CoreOne will be used as a unified resource for records across the 

Division, including licensures of dealers, licensed stables and riding 

instructors, pet shops, animal rescue organizations, and garbage feeders, 

vaccination and testing records, and dairy and other testing and inspection 

records. The first priorities are data base clean-up and developing a form 

for inputting Barn Book information in a quick and efficient manner. A 

temporary worker will input the data from the 2022 Barn Books which are 

all on paper records submitted by the municipal animal inspectors, with a 

goal of direct data entry into CoreOne by the MAIs by the MAIs using 

phones, tablets, or computers for the 2023 livestock inventory. This will be 

a huge benefit, eliminating the year-long data entry process and ensuring 

that the information entered is more correct and meaningful that that 

collected on paper. MDAR will pay the annual subscription fees for the 

private instance of CoreOne.

CVI Central is used minimally as of 2023 for sending and managing 

received CVIs. The ADT coordinator is learning about additional 

functionality through user groups and from Trace First that may be of use 

to MDAR and will implement these features as the opportunity arises. In 

addition, temporary workers or future MDAR clerical staff will be trained 

to use the system to support the ADT Coordinator. 

Barn Book data entry and full implementation of CVI Central were affected 

by the small animal health staff and by state limitations on temporary 

workers and in-office work due to COVID-mitigation efforts but should be 

on track again during the time covered by this Roadmap.

Requests for tags, CVIs, permits, PINs, and other ADT resources are 

currently made by phone or email to MDAR staff, who work a hybrid 

schedule. The ADT Coordinator can be reached by work phone at most 

hours, or at any time by the State Veterinarian or Director, who carry pagers 

for 24-hour emergency calls. Additional staff are being trained as back-up 

for all ADT functions. In addition, MDAR is creating forms that can be 

filled out on the state’s website, mass.gov, which will send a message to the 

appropriate staff members and initiate the process for issuing tags and PINs, 

distributing CVI forms, and licensing livestock dealer. This functionality 

has been implemented for veterinarians to use for reportable diseases (2021) 

and by producers and veterinarians for HPAI suspects in 2022. ADTrelated requests should be functional in 2023.
7

ADT success is formally measured by APHIS VS via Trace Performance 

Measures. MA continues to meet or exceed expectations for TPMs and 

should improve over the three years of this Roadmap as new systems and 

processes are implemented.

2.3 Strengths and Weaknesses

MDAR’s greatest strengths are found in the Division’s personnel. The 

members of the small staff are skilled and willing and innovative and have 

historically been able to work together and across program lines to achieve 

meaningful results with limited resources. An early retirement-driven 

reduction in force in 2015-2016 and subsequent hiring freezes put in place 

by the Governor’s office resulted in a loss of both numbers of workers and 

a great deal of subject matter expertise and institutional knowledge and have 

prevented MDAR from adding staff even as responsibilities increased. 

Infrastructure has been minimal, with many resources and processes 

remaining wholly- or partially paper-based years after useful technology 

became reasonably available. Annual USDA cooperative agreements are 

critical to the Division’s funding, particularly for ADT.

MDAR does not have authority to charge for tags or for documents such as 

CVI forms for accredited veterinarians without legislative action. Thus, any 

that are distributed by MDAR must be free to the recipients. Electronic IDs 

have been limited to the free tags distributed by APHIS VS due to cost; the 

purchase of additional tags would have to be funded by cooperative 

agreements, which have remained at the same finding levels for several 

years aren’t expected to increase in the short term.

Changes to regulations that are necessary to improve ADT in MA are 

subject to a lengthy and expensive rule-making process that includes public 

comment periods. Legislation may be needed for some processes, as 

previously noted. These are both weaknesses in MDAR’s ability to regulate 

and require components of ADT and threaten the Division’s ability to make 

changes.

2.4 Opportunities and Threats

The limitations brought by COVID-mitigation steps demonstrated that a 

pivot to electronic options is essential to future success, especially with a 

hybrid-based office structure going forward. The move to using a private 

instance of CoreOne improves MA ADT through customization options 

and creates the opportunity to integrate data from across the department in 

web-based applications. This will help bridge access gaps within the 

Division and provide long-needed instant records access to the 11 field 
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staff members. It also allows access to critical information by authorized 

users from any secured web access or via VPN, eliminating the need to be 

present in an office with access to paper records when a response is 

needed. This is both more efficient and the web-based storage is backed 

up, unlike physical documents. MDAR phasing out the storage of paper 

as records reach their destruction dates.

Moving to electronic ID requirements for bovines, anticipated during the 

timeframe of this Roadmap, and receiving free RFID tags for distribution 

to MA producers and veterinarians allows MDAR to assist their 

stakeholders with the move to more efficient electronic records and 

increase the opportunities for livestock ID to be recorded and added to 

AHER. Updated market agreements requiring the recording of existing 

animal IDs is impractical without the use of electronic IDs and readers.

The high risk of HPAI continuing to be found in MA domestic bird flocks 

within the three-year period presents both a significant need for 

traceability information and a significant strain on MDAR’s staff. MA 

HPAI response is led by MDAR and the MA Department of 

Environmental Protection (MDEP). Although contactors would be hired 

for large flock depopulation and disposal, MDAR staff would be needed in 

the field along with a similarly small number of undeployed District 1 VS 

personnel. This would strain the human resources needed for traceability 

functions such as tracing and permitting movements and establishing 

surveillance zones. The ADT Coordinator assists with surveillance and 

other response functions. 

MA has a new Governor and administration for the first time in eight 

years, during which time the ADT Coordinator was hired, and the program 

started up as a specific function of MDAR. A new Commissioner of 

Agriculture is expected to be appointed during the next three years. It is 

uncertain how these changes will affect the regulatory environment in 

general and animal health programs and goals. This change may present 

additional opportunities or threats. 

Failure to take advantage of these opportunities or interruptions to the 

funding sources associated with them are threats that would result in 

limited improvement in ADT in MA 

2.5 Inventory of existing infrastructure and suitability assessment

Human Resources 

The ADT Coordinator works closely with the State Vet, Assistant State 

Vet, and the Director of Animal Health. The Pet Shop Coordinator and 

Shelter/ Rescue Coordinator are frequently involved in small animal 

traceability issues. The Rabies Program Coordinator is also the 
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administrator for the appointment of Municipal Animal Inspectors in each 

town and sends out and receives Barn Books from them. They will be 

managing access to CoreOne for MAIs when the interface that allows 

local inspectors to input Barn Book data directly into the system has been 

implemented (Goal; 2024 Barn Books at latest). Temporary staff are used 

when available to scan paper CVIs received in the office into CVI Central 

and will assist with routing CVIs when the system’s features have been 

more. MDAR’s nine field inspectors all participate in ADT outreach and 

technical assistance activities part of their regular interaction with 

stakeholders. 

Managing Paper and Electronic Records 

Implementing CVI Central for handling paper CVIs received in the 

MDAR office eliminates the need for hard-copy storage for most of these 

documents (copies may be kept for compliance investigations, for 

example). Tuberculosis and brucellosis test and vaccination charts will 

similarly be scanned and saved in premises records in CoreOne after data 

entry. MDAR strongly encourages veterinarians to convert to electronic 

records that are automatically communicated to AHER for animal 

movement and testing. The majority of CVIs received by MDAR are now 

eCVIs, and scanned and emailed documents received into CVI Central 

outnumber hard copies sent in via USPS. This trend is expected to 

continue throughout the period covered by this Roadmap. 

Although CoreOne will be utilized as a whole-department system, CVI 

Central is exclusively used for ADT functions and is supported by ADT 

cooperative agreement funds.

Paper records are on a set destruction schedule according to how long they 

are required to be maintained. The older, unscanned records remain 

available in the MDAR Boston office for traceability purposes rather than 

being stored off-site with a 24–48-hour retrieval window. 

Technology and Security 

This transition to electronic services included approvals by Massachusetts 

Executive Branch Information Services officials who are satisfied that the 

data security inherent in the products and by MDAR’s internal information 

security standards and practices meet the needs for ADT data. Training is 

required annually for all MDAR personnel. State-issued laptops and 

smartphones are used, and two-factor authentication is required for system 

access. Systems cannot be accessed via open Wi-Fi and VPN is available 

to all Division staff for working away from the MDAR offices. 

Additional personnel are being trained to use CoreOne and CVI Central to 

handle ADT information, perform traces, and complete disease program 

data entry. Additional log-in credentials have been obtained for AIMS, 
10

VSPS, EMRS, and other USDA systems used for ADT. This crosstraining and the integration of tying departmental access to premises, 

people, and individual animal records in a centralized database will 

continue and expand as CoreOne is customized an implemented across the 

areas within the Division’s purview.

MDAR is seeking funding via the annual APHIS Umbrella agreement to 

purchase and support iPads for field staff use. These will be used to 

complete electronic records and forms used to input inspections and 

animal health records, directly into CoreOne premises records, including 

reportable disease records, NPIP testing, etc. This cross-functional 

reporting and access to information would support ADT in the state and 

region and improve the timeliness and quality of information used for 

emergency preparedness planning and mitigation efforts.

III. VISION AND MISSION CONTEXT FOR ADVANCING TRACEABILITY

3.1 Vision Statement

MDAR supports, regulates, and enhances the rich diversity of the 

Commonwealth’s agricultural community to promote economically and 

environmentally sound food safety and animal health measures, and fulfill 

agriculture’s role in energy conservation and production.

3.2 Mission Statement

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ mission is to 

help keep the Massachusetts food supply safe and secure, and to work to 

keep Massachusetts agriculture economically and environmentally sound.

IV. TRACEABILITY REQUIREMENTS

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) will work through 

its Division of Animal Health to implement an Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) 

program that works in concert with other states, Tribes, and territories and the USDA 

to advance ADT with the following goals:

4.1 Strategic goal(s)

1. Enhance electronic sharing of data among Federal and State animal 

health officials, veterinarians, and industry, including sharing basic 

ADT data with the Federal Animal Health Events Repository 

(AHER)
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2. Increase use of electronic ID tags for animals requiring individual 

identification to make the transmission of data more efficient.

3. Enhance the ability to track animals from birth to slaughter through 

a system that allows tracking data points to be connected; and 

4. Elevate the discussion with States and industry to work toward a 

system where animal health certificates are electronically 

transmitted from private veterinarians to State animal health 

officials.

4.2 Programmatic goals (objectives)

 

1. Target, develop, and implement outreach messaging regarding data 

quality and processing for animal health information forms 

2. Monitor ICVI data quality 

3. Input data into appropriate systems 

4. Improve retrieval of available traceability information

5. Establish and/or update tag distribution record system 

6. Share data with States/Tribes/Territories and USDA when needed

7. Develop policy 

8. Enhance IT infrastructure

4.3 ADT Trace Performance Measures (TPMs)

Years 1-3, 2023-2025 

MDAR will participate in National Priority Trace (NPT) exercises in 

association with as assigned by VS District 1 and national teams. These 

events will be treated as if they were actual traceability requests and will 

be reported in EMRS as they are worked and completed so that the results 

may be used to determine both state and national traceability values. In 

addition, MDAR will record real-world traces of animals of all livestock 

species as they are completed.

Should MDAR’s performance on trace exercises fall below acceptable 

ratings for either elapsed time or successful completion, MDAR will 

identify actions or activities to be implemented to improve in the 

necessary areas. These plans will be shared with, and progress reported to 

VS through quarterly reports. 

MDAR will report any potential compliance issues identified while 

administering NPT or regular operational activities to the AVIC for 

inclusion in the ADT Enforcement Action Summary Report. In addition, 

MDAR will partner with VS, particularly Dist. 1, to address compliance 

issues identified that potentially affect MA animals. These may result in 

actions taken by MDAR or by EIS. This will apply to all livestock species 

and reported to Dist.1 VS ADT quarterly. 
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4.4 Data requirements

MDAR mirrors the USDA and other New England states in the forms of 

documentation and identification accepted and distributed for use by MA 

stakeholders. MDAR uses CoreOne and CVI Central for processing and 

maintaining ADT data. Electronic CVIs are handled automatically by the 

systems themselves with specific routing channels set up by the Division. 

A private instance of CoreOne was purchased in 2022 and will continue to 

be customized and implemented for use across Animal Health functions 

throughout the time frame covered by this Roadmap.

As required by CFR, MDAR accepts all approved methods of official, 

individual identification for livestock. Ear tags, particularly RFID tags, 

are highly preferred for bovines, swine, and small ruminants. In addition, 

ear tags or microchips may be used for camelids. MDAR encourages the 

use of thermal microchips for horses and requires that a thorough 

description of each equine be included on health certificates. Swine and 

small ruminants must be officially identified before leaving their premises 

of origin unless entering the slaughter chain and group lot IDs are not 

used. 

MA distributes the RFID tags for cattle that the state receives from the 

USDA warehouse annually. Providing RFID tags to state producers and 

veterinarians is dependent on this program or other USDA funding as the 

state cannot afford to purchase them and provide them for free and 

legislation and a regulation promulgation process would be required to 

allow the MDAR to collect money for them. NUES tags are distributed 

for swine and for cull and feeder cattle. Scrapie tags are distributed for 

small flocks by the Division and larger flocks are referred to the VS Div.1 

scrapie program coordinator for flock IDs and tags. Tag distribution to 

producers and veterinarians are recorded in CoreOne.

Individual ID records are critical to achieving traceability. Premises IDs 

are required for all tag distribution and for all premises where program 

disease testing or vaccination occurs. Individual IDs from test and 

vaccination charts (currently all paper) are entered into CoreOne. Persons 

receiving tags from the state must return a record, either using provided 

paper form or Excel spreadsheet, listing the tag number, date and location 

applied, and animal information to MDAR before being issued additional 

tags. These are records are intended to be entered into the database but are 

currently filed due to lack of data entry assistance. A goal over the period 

of this agreement is to develop a method to develop and implement a 

spreadsheet that can be used to upload these records into CoreOne. A 

paper option will remain available for our non-veterinary tag appliers who 

prefer it, with these records being entered when staffing is available. 
13

Veterinarians are encouraged to adopt electronic formats for testing and 

vaccination charts to improve the efficiency and accuracy of that data in 

the system.

The use of electronic CVIs is similarly encouraged. MDAR will explore 

issuing regulations requiring the use of electronic CVIs during the 

Roadmap time frame and with the new Administration beginning in 2023. 

By an Order issued by the Director in 2019, the APHIS 7001 form cannot 

be used for small animals for either imports or exports, and electronic 

CVIs must be used when shipping from states that don’t provide a small 

animal form for their accredited veterinarians. This change has 

profoundly increased the percentage of eCVIs received by MDAR. As of 

January 2023, eCVIs from Global Vet Link, VetSentry, and the statedeveloped forms approved by NASAHO are accepted. MDAR is open to 

reviewing additional products and will follow the lead of NASAHO 

regarding approvals. Paper forms purchased by the Department are still 

provided for free to MA accredited veterinarians for small animals, large 

animals, and equines. Legislation and new regulations would be required 

for MDAR to charge for these forms and developing a state electronic 

format has not been explored to date.

MA joins the other NESAASA states annually in providing reciprocity so 

that a single CVI can be used for the summer show and fair season in the 

six states providing certain requirements are met, including listing all 

expected fairs on the document and meeting all permit and vaccination 

requirements. MA has not approved the 6-month equine passport product 

offered by Global Vet Link. The state has no commuter herd agreements 

and all animals crossing the state line must move on either a CVI or an 

owner/shipper statement. Dealers are provided backtags but are not 

permitted to receive NUES or RFID tags to tag their own animals to 

prevent potential mis-tagging of non-MA animals. 

MA data in CoreOne is reflected in AHER and MDAR will share 

traceability date upon request from animal health officials. Certain 

documents such as CVIs are considered public records and are subject to 

Freedom of Information Act Requests; however, Barn Book data, 

quarantine information, and other records which could be used to threaten 

critical agricultural infrastructure are protected information and are for 

official use only.

4.5 Information technology plan

MDAR uses a private instance of CoreOne, transitioning from SCS in 

3Q2022. This is intended to be the system of record throughout Animal 

Health as it is customized and implemented fully over the next three years. 

The subscription and maintenance are funded by the state.
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MDAR also uses CVI Central to handle movement documentation. This 

system is still being implemented fully due to restraints on hiring 

temporary workers during the period the office was closed due to COVID 

mitigation effort. MDAR is reliant on ADT cooperative agreement 

funding for this annual subscription and maintenance and on the 

availability of clerical personnel to utilize it more fully. There has been a 

freeze on the number of employees allowed in the Division over the last 

five years, preventing hiring a clerical FTE. MDAR has not been made 

aware of changes to this policy under the new administration as of January 

2023.

Tablets will be purchased by MDAR and issued to field staff to access 

electronic records and forms more effectively when on farms and other 

premises beginning in 2023. The state is authorized the use of iPads, so 

these will be used despite being unable to use EMRS2Go on Apple 

products. 

4.6 Resource requirements

Based on plans for implementation and use as of January 2023, the 

additional resources needed to fully use ADT data tools and systems are 

continued funding for the ADT Coordinator and CVI Central through the 

ADT cooperative agreement, and the availability of temporary workers to 

do data clean-up end entry of 2022 Barn Book data into CoreOne. This 

has been included in the Umbrella agreements beginning in 2018, but 

employment of temporary workers was limited by COVID mitigation 

efforts and by the transition to a private instance of CoreOne.

4.7 Organizational needs

MDAR has selected CoreOne as a unified records management across the 

Division and began customizing it in 2022. This is a significant 

organizational change that will benefit ADT efforts, imbedding the capture 

of usable ADT data within the day-to-day processes that use it. This is 

also a milestone for addressing outbreaks and mitigating animal disease 

risks by making personnel working in different areas aware of any issues 

associated with a premises or person.

4.7.1 Executive support

A new Governor and administration took charge in 2023, the 

first since a formal ADT program was started in MA in 2016. 

The approach to regulation and agriculture is yet to be seen and 

will certainly result in changes that may have major effects on 
15

MDAR. This administration is expected to be in office 

throughout the three years covered by this Roadmap.

4.7.2 Coordination and oversight procedures

The effect of the Administration in place as of January 2023 has 

yet to be seen. A new Secretary, Commissioner, and at least one 

Assistant Commissioner are expected to be appointed. These are 

the Legislative liaisons for MDAR. 

MDAR enjoys an excellent working relationship with sister 

agencies including DEP and the MA Department of Public 

Health as well as the MA Emergency Management Agency. 

These groups have been part of recent successful HPAI response 

in partnership with APHIS VS and continue to improve animal 

disease and all-hazards plans based on lessons learned. 

The state is similarly engaged with the other 5 NESAASA states 

and VS to prepare continuity of operations and secure food 

supply plans. New England agriculture is closely linked across 

state borders and a regional approach is a necessary supplement 

to state plans and efforts. A unified command structure would be 

used as needed during a response.

4.7.3 Policy

Massachusetts’ ADT policies mirror those set out in 9 CFR part 

86. The state doesn’t currently have regulations regarding 

identification for bovines that are moved within the state. 

However, cattle going through one of our four (cull) livestock 

markets enter “in interstate commerce” upon leaving their MA 

premises as many of these animals are trucked out-of-state for 

slaughter. MGL Sec. 129 pt. 42 states:

No person, other than a licensed veterinarian or an agent 

of the director, shall tag a bovine animal with a state or 

federal identification tag.

This law is unenforced (tagging by producers is highly 

encouraged) but bills that would update or repeal it not moved 

out of committee during the Legislative sessions where they 

were introduced.

MDAR licenses livestock dealers annual for the sale and 

transportation of cattle and swine. This license is intended to 

include small ruminants, but the law and regulations must be 

updated to allow enforcement. An Animal Health Emergency 

Order issued in 2006 requires the official identification of all MA 
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sheep and goats before they are moved from their premises of 

origin or upon arrive at a MA livestock market (slaughter tags 

only) or by age 18 months, whichever comes first. 

New and updated regulations would increase the capture and use 

of ADT data, leading to more efficient and effective traceability. 

Updates to regulations require a lengthy promulgation process, 

including legal review, public review, comment, and response 

periods, and Governor’s office approval. This is typically a 

multi-year process. MDAR plans to begin this process for small 

ruminants and the equine program within the next three years. 

Additional regulatory changes may be required following the 

USDA’s expected announcement of a timeline to transition to 

RFID tags for bovines. MDAR also plans to determine whether 

eCVIs can be required for all interstate movements for domestic 

animals and whether official ID can be required for all livestock 

moved from their premises of origin within the state by order of 

the director, or whether regulatory or legislated changed would 

be needed.

A new Governor took office in January 2023. MDAR expects 

changes in administrative staff and policies as a result, but these 

and their effects are still unknown.

4.7.4 Staffing

MDAR is the primary entity overseeing ADT in the 

Commonwealth (state, for purposes of this Roadmap). Those 

with related responsibility within the Division are the ADT 

Coordinator, the State Veterinarian and Assistant State 

Veterinarian, the Director, and nine Animal Health Inspectors. 

There are an additional five office staff within the department 

with different programmatic roles. The Division oversees animal 

health for all domesticated species, including companion 

animals. ADT is both a core departmental program and the 

outreach, technical assistance, and the collection, management, 

and use of ADT data are inherent in the day-to-day roles of 

office and field staff.

The ADT Director oversees imports and exports; performs traces 

for animals of all domesticated species; reviews CVIs and other 

documents; manages tag and RFID reader distribution; 

investigates and response to ADT compliance issues; performs 

data entry of ADT data; supervises temporary staff; issues PINs; 

writes and reports on USDA cooperative agreements; performs 

outreach and provides technical assistance to internal and 
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external stakeholders; participates in NESAASA and the 

USAHA Traceability Committee; updates, posts, and distributes 

annual fair and show rules for MA and the annual New England 

states reciprocity agreement for use of a single exhibition CVI; 

identifies and communicates premises information for 

surveillance during an animal health outbreak (HPAI); serves as 

part of the MA HPAI Working Group; issues movement and 

import permits; and assists with additional departmental and 

multi-agency planning and operations.

Data entry and CVI routing for ADT data is limited when using 

only the Division personnel available at the beginning of Year 1. 

A 3/5-time temporary worker is funded under the Umbrella CA 

(HPAI and FDA preparation) for entering the annual livestock 

premises data from the (paper) Barn Books, a process that has 

historically taken approximately year. Customizations in 

CoreOne are underway early in 2023 and are expected to reduce 

this time from collection to data entry for the 2022 Barn Books. 

The goal is to create a form that can be used by the municipal 

animal inspectors to update premises records directly in CoreOne 

from a phone, tablet, or computer by the 2024 annual inventory.

MDAR staff scan all CVIs received in the office into CVI 

Central, which routes them according to species and import and 

export. Reviewing and further routing this data to the correct 

premises has been sporadic since the service was implemented in 

2020. A temporary worker was planned for to support CVI 

Central in the 2021 ADT CA, but state offices remained closed 

and temporary workers were not allowed to work from home due 

to security, equipment, and connectivity concerns. This 

limitation continued into 2022. MDAR has determined that 

ADT CA funding must be used for a portion of the ADT 

Coordinator’s salary and the annual CVI Central subscription 

beginning with the 2022 agreement. However, the Department 

will support a part-time temporary worker to assist with ADT 

functions beginning in 2023, enabling the use of additional 

features resulting in more efficient management of traceability 

information.

4.7.5 Budget requirements

A hiring freeze has limited the number of FTEs that the 

Department may have in each Division since 2016 following a 

state-wide reduction in force in 2015. This may change under 

the new Governor and administration started in January 2023.
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4.7.6 Outreach (required to be addressed within the Road Map)

4.7.6.1 Accredited veterinarians

Outreach efforts for accredited veterinarians will 

include the following (program years 1-3 in 

parentheses).

• ADT topics are included in the three 

veterinary accreditation sessions held 

annually (1-3)

o Official ID methods, distribution, and 

record-keeping

o Correctly completing CVIs and the 

advantages of eCVIs

o Meeting destination import requirements

o Program disease forms and results 

submission

• Continuing education modules/ sessions for 

presentation at MA veterinary conferences 

(2-3)

• Articles and alerts regarding regulatory 

changes (for example, a timeline for RFID 

transition) placed in MAVMA and similar 

newsletters and via veterinary organization 

email lists (as needed)

• Direct outreach to veterinarians by the ADT 

Coordinator and State Vets (1-3)

o Training for welfare agency Category II 

veterinarians regarding ID, testing, 

documentation, and records 

requirements (1, 3 or as requested)

o Direct contact by phone/ in person with 

large volume cattle veterinarians to 

encourage the use of eCVIs and RFID 

tags- a limited number of 

readers/scanners will be made available 

for practices who will convert to or 

continue using eCVI (1-3)

o Information about eCVIs and electronic 

ID (if appropriate for species) are sent to 

vets requesting paper CVI forms or 

NUES tags (1-3)
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o Letters are issued to veterinarians 

submitting official forms late or 

incorrectly (1-3)

o Veterinarians are encouraged to tag 

client animals using free ID tags 

provided by MDAR and to instruct their 

clients on proper ID and record-keeping 

as part of regular departmental 

operations (1-3)

4.7.6.2 Slaughter plants

• MDAR will work with USDA and the four cull 

livestock markets in MA to update market 

agreements, including the recording of existing 

ID (APHIS-led partnership; TBD)

• MDAR will provide technical assistance to MA 

livestock markets and conduct direct outreach 

regarding the expected rule change requiring 

RFID for bovines (Following rule change 

announcement; expected in 2-3)

4.7.6.3 Industry as a whole

• ADT information including official ID and 

owner-shipper requirements sent to all licensed 

livestock dealers (1-3)

• Outreach through 4-H, county agricultural 

schools, fairs and shows (The Big E,) Farm 

Bureau, local agricultural commissions and 

other organizations through publications and 

presentations by MDAR personnel (1-3)

• Municipal animal inspectors perform outreach 

and refer producers to the ADT coordinator for 

additional assistance as part of annual “Barn 

Book” livestock inventory (1-3)

o Trained on basic information on ADT 

(tags, eCVIs, permits) at 3-4 annual 

training sessions that are recorded and 

available for download as webinars

o Materials made available for distribution 

to animal owners

o Owners contacted by ADT Coordinator 

after referral from MAI
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o Reaches underserved communities via 

local inspectors

o Materials to be translated into Spanish 

and Portuguese in partnership with MA 

Diversity programs (2)

4.8 Monitoring and reporting interstate movement activity

Monitoring movements and validating data will be a major focus for 

MDAR ADT over the course of this agreement. As of year one, providing 

year-to-date import/ export numbers for animals by species, identification 

status, eCVI type, and other metrics would involve querying multiple 

systems (Global Vet Link, VSPS, CVI Central, Vet Sentry, 

CVI@mass.gov emails, paper documents) and adding up the results by 

hand. The ADT Coordinator will work with TraceFirst University, CVI 

Central-users group, APHIS ADT staff, and other resources to determine 

and implement best practices for monitoring, validating, and reporting 

these numbers. (1-3 with a continuous improvement goal). Continued 

funding for the annual CVI Central subscription with the ADT CA; for the 

ADT Coordinator shared between the ADT CA and MDAR; for the 

private MA-instance of CoreOne by MDAR; and for CVI handling 

support by a temporary worker or new MDAR FTE (to be determined as 

departmental budgets and policies change under a new state 

administration) are all necessary in years 1-3 to make this possible. 

Tag distribution by MDAR is recorded in CoreOne for all RFID, NUES, 

and backtags. Veterinarians and producers who receive tags from the state 

must return individual animal ID records (on paper or in a spreadsheet) 

before receiving additional tags. In year 1, MDAR will develop a means 

and distribute a spreadsheet to tag recipients that can be used to upload 

that information directly into CoreOne. (1-early 2).

V. ADVANCING TRACEABILITY 

5.1 Ranking of priorities for advancement and implementation of objectives

1. Performing traces, sharing information with other animal health 

officials, providing animal location and movement data in the 

event of animal disease outbreak.

2. Data entry into CoreOne and CVI routing, etc. using CVI Central, 

including customization of CoreOne to allow:

o Direct input of Barn Book inventory data by Municipal Animal 

Inspectors.
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o Upload of individual animal record information submitted by 

veterinarians and producers receiving free ID tags from 

MDAR.

o Reporting of species and premises data .

3. Supporting the transition to electronic ID and eCVIs through 

training, outreach, potential state regulations or laws, and by 

providing RFID tags and readers made available to MDAR by 

APHIS for free to producers and veterinarians.

4. Providing outreach and technical assistance to internal and external 

stakeholders.

5. Working with sister agencies in MA, from other states, and Federal 

partners to implement and enforce ADT regulations.

6. Provide NUES tags and paper CVIs to producers/ veterinarians as 

appropriate by species and class of animal.

7. Participate in continuing education about ADT for MDAR 

personnel.