APHIS Factsheet

Veterinary Services December 2012

Animal Disease 

Traceability: A Guide 

to Identifying Poultry 

for Interstate 

Movement

Q. Is poultry required to be officially identified as 

part of the new traceability rule?

A. Poultry moved interstate, unless exempt, are 

required to be officially identified under the new 

traceability rule with one of the following devices or 

methods:

•	 Identification devices or methods approved for use

		 in the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP),

 such as sealed and numbered leg bands

•	 Group/lot identification with a group/lot

 identification number 

Poultry are exempt from the official identification 

requirement for the following interstate movements:

•	 The shipment of poultry is from a hatchery to a

 redistributor or poultry grower; or

•	 The shipment is from a redistributor to a poultry

 grower and the person responsible for receiving 

 the chick maintains a record of the supplier of the 

 chicks.

Additionally, other identification devices or methods 

may be used as agreed upon by animal health officials 

of the States or Tribes involved in the interstate

movement.

Q. Does poultry moving interstate need to be 

accompanied by documentation? If so, are there 

any exceptions to the requirement?

A. An interstate certificate of veterinary inspection 

(ICVI) must accompany poultry moving interstate

unless the poultry is moved:

•	 From a flock participating in the NPIP and

 accompanied by the documentation required by 

 that program; 

•	 Directly to a recognized slaughtering or rendering

 establishment;

•	 From the farm of origin for veterinary medical

 examination, treatment, or diagnostic purposes 

 and either returned to the farm of origin without 

	 change in ownership or euthanized and disposed

of at the veterinary facility;

•	 Directly from one State through another State and

 back to the original State;

•	 Between shipping and receiving States or Tribes

		 with a VS Form 9-3 or documentation other than

		 an ICVI, as agreed upon by animal health officials

		 in the shipping and receiving States or Tribes; or

•	 Moved under permit in accordance with 9 CFR

 part 82.

Q. I see that several options for traceability involve 

participating in the NPIP. What is the NPIP?

A. The NPIP is a cooperative industry-State-Feder

program through which new diagnostic technology can 

be effectively applied to improve poultry and poultry 

products throughout the United States. The NP

establishes standards for the evaluation of poultry 

breeding stock and hatchery products with respect to 

freedom from egg-transmitted and hatchery-disseminated diseases.

	The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

assigns each participant an official approval number. 

This number, prefaced by the numerical code of the

State, may be used on each certificate, invoice, 

shipping label, or other document used by the 

participant in the sale of his or her products.

	Participants in the NPIP may buy or receive products

from flocks that are neither participants nor part of an

equivalent program for use in breeding flocks or for

experimental purposes. Participants must maintain 

records of purchases, sales, and any products 

handled. 

Q. Where can I find more information on poultry 

identification requirements for interstate 

movement?

A. More information is available at http://www.aphi

usda.gov/traceability/ or from your State animal health

official’s office. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture