May 30, 2004

 

Dr. Ron DeHaven

Administrator

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

317-E, J.L. Whitten Federal Building, Box 3491

Washington DC  20250

 

Dear Dr. DeHaven,

 

            The mission of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) is to be the forum for building consensus and advancing solutions for animal agriculture, and to provide continuing education and communication linkages for animal agriculture professionals. 

 

            The enclosed resolutions were promulgated by NIAA Committees and adopted by the NIAA Board of Directors during the 2004 NIAA Annual Meeting in April, in Salt Lake City, Utah, are related to USDA APHIS interests and activities.  The following are titles of the resolutions, and the actual resolutions are attached.  Please see the section entitled “2004-2005 NIAA Resolutions”.

 

  • Classical Swine Fever

o  Regionalization

  • National Animal Health Reporting System

  • Addressing the Impact of Emerging Diseases in International Trade

  • U.S. TB Interim Rule

  • Animal Health Safeguarding Review

  • Preventing Exotic Ticks and Hemoparasitic Disease Establishment in the U.S.A.

  • Funding for Plum Island Facilities

  • Animal Health Emergencies

  • Formal Implementation of Equine Viral Arteritis Guidelines

  • Pseudorabies Research for Feral Swine

  • Scrapie

  • Accelerated Scrapie Eradication Program

  • Funding For Infectious Disease Research and Field Studies

 

In addition, attached are NIAA’s position statements on several animal agriculture issues.  Please see the section titled “2004-2005 NIAA Position Statements”.

 

Sincerely,

 

Dr. Rick Sibbel

Chairman of the Board

 


 

2004-2005 NIAA Resolutions

 

Classical Swine Fever:  We suggest that the USDA, APHIS should continue to work with international organizations to effect eradication of CSF from Hispanola. Until eradication is completed, APHIS and DHS should continue to take appropriate measures to prevent the introduction of this disease into the U.S. including increased port of entry inspectors, pre-clearance procedures, technical assistance and support, education and awareness programs, and enhanced surveillance of swine herds in the U.S. and the U.S. territories. Necessary funding should be obtained.

 

Regionalization:  We urge the development of a zoning and regionalization model that would be adaptable to a foreign or emerging disease outbreak in the US. Such an effort should be led by USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health in collaboration with state governments and industry. NIAA further encourages USDA to prioritize funding of this project. A discussion of the model, and a report on the progress in its development should be provided at the 2005 NIAA Animal Health and International Trade Committee meeting.

 

National Animal Health Reporting System:  We support and encourage APHIS to strengthen the participation of all states in NAHRS.  NAHRS should continue to present the national status of the country’s livestock health status without naming infected states or farms, benefiting all states and industries needing USDA support for livestock disease control or endorsement of international health certifications.

 

Addressing the Impact of Emerging Diseases in International Trade:  We encourage USDA to discuss with states, academia, and the industry options to protect U.S. animal populations from emerging diseases while meeting our international trade obligations. A report of these discussions should be given at the 2005 NIAA Animal Health and International Trade Committee meeting.

 

U.S. TB Interim Rule: We support the USDA TB Interim Rule, which outlines specific requirements that must be met by each Mexican state within a prescribed time period for cattle to continue to be exported to the U.S. Also, NIAA encourages USDA to finalize the TB International Rules in a timely manner.

 

Animal Health Safeguarding Review:  We urge APHIS to continue to follow up and provide needed funding to implement the recommendations of the Animal Health Safeguarding Review.  We request that APHIS state what actions have been taken to implement the recommendations of that review.

 

Preventing Exotic Ticks and Hemoparasitic Disease Establishment in the U.S.A.:  We urge the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to enter into a joint effort with state animal health officials, animal industries and wildlife interests to define and support a core organization/commission to facilitate the acquisition and allocation of continual funding for preventing the establishment of exotic animal pests and hemoparasitic diseases in the USA. NIAA recognizes and supports the US-Mexico Bi-National Commission to combat ticks in the US.

 

Funding for Plum Island Facilities:  We support funding and program development for needed facilities at the Plum Island facility. The necessary amount of BSL-4 space that is required to support a program with adequate research and diagnostic capabilities to protect U.S. animal agriculture from emerging diseases should be determined jointly by industry, APHIS, ARS, DHS and diagnosticians within a coordinated plan for emergency management. In addition, assurances of adequate operational funding for the constructed BSL-4 facilities must be secured.

 

Animal Health Emergencies:  We, through the newly established NIAA Equine Health Committee, will work in cooperation with the American Horse Council, the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the United States Animal Health Association to meet industry responsibilities in preventing and responding to animal health emergencies and threats to food and agriculture security in the U.S., as outlined in the industry guidelines developed by the Animal Agriculture Coalition (NAHEMS 2001 Annual Report, Appendix D).

 

Formal Implementation of Equine Viral Arteritis Guidelines:  We encourage the horse industry, the USDA APHIS and the states to pursue formal implementation of the UM&R for EVA and pursue whatever action is needed to formulate and implement a post entry testing program for stallions and semen.

 

Pseudorabies Research for Feral Swine:  We would like to communicate to USDA APHIS, as well as USDA ARS, National Pork Producers Council, and the National Pork Board, the continuing need for field studies and research to cope with infections in feral pig populations.

 

Scrapie:  We urge state animal health agencies to network with APHIS to continue to conduct the National Scrapie Eradication Program and Scrapie Flock Certification Program. In order for scrapie eradication to be effective, APHIS must clearly be the lead agency in a cooperative effort with the states. Adequate program funding is needed for both APHIS and state animal health regulatory authorities in order for the eradication effort to be effective.

 

Accelerated Scrapie Eradication Program:  We request that USDA reviews the Accelerated Scrapie Eradication Program on an annual basis with the goal of integrating/implementing appropriate new science-based information.  The results should be reported to the USAHA Scrapie Subcommittee and to NIAA Sheep & Goat Health Committee. NIAA also requests that USDA-APHIS utilize the expertise in the field (VMOs, AVICs, state veterinarians and their staff) and routinely utilize and encourage their constructive input.

 

Funding For Infectious Disease Research and Field Studies:  We request that DHS and USDA direct increased funding for epidemiological field studies and applied research that adequately serves the swine industry, and that industry priorities, as identified by the National Pork Board Swine Health Committee, continue to be considered in the allocation of funds and projects.


 

2004-2005 NIAA Position Statements

 

  • National Animal Health Emergency Management System:  We support the need to establish an effective "World Class" NAHEMS, including Congressional support for adequate funding necessary to implement the NAHEMS strategic plan in close coordination with Homeland Security initiatives. Further, NIAA supports the needed organizational, educational, technical, scientific and financial resources necessary to establish and operate an effective NAHEMS.

     

  • Goals for States in Program Stages:  The Livestock Conservation Institute recommended in 1989 the following goals for pseudorabies eradication to the appropriate committees of the National Pork Producers Council, the United States Animal Health Association and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians. In order to ensure the successful completion of the national pseudorabies eradication program, the National Institute for Animal Agriculture continues to urge accelerated progress within state programs to move to a higher status so as to regain the momentum projected in the timetable below:

 

    1994          All states in Stage II or higher    Met

    1995          23 states in Stage IV    Exceeded

    1996          32 states in Stage IV or higher    Met

                     10 states and major portions of five split-status states in Stage III

    1997          39 states in Stage IV or higher

                     33 states Stage IV or higher

                     All states in Stage III or higher

                     5 states split Status II & III

    1998          42 states in Stage IV or higher

                     38 states Stage IV

    1999          49 states in Stage IV or higher

                     42 states Stage IV or higher

    2000          Iowa to Stage IV and all

                     50 states free of the disease

                     40 states in Stage V

                     4 in Stage IV

                     4 in Stage III/IV

                     3 in Stage III

                     1 in Stage II/III

    2001          No infected domestic swine herds in the United States;

                     Goal reached January 14, 2002.

    2002          Maintain no infected domestic swine herds

    2003          Maintain no infected commercial swine herds

    2004          Maintain no infected commercial swine herds

                     Address issues of separation of feral/transitional and commercial swine

    2005          United States declared Free of Pseudorabies

 

  • Contagious Equine Metritis:  In light of the continuing problem associated with the detection of Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) in stallions and mares imported into the U.S. and the potential economic significance of this disease were it to be re-introduced into the country¹s horse population, it is imperative that the CEM focus group conclude its deliberations on revisions of the CEM import testing protocol. 

 

  • Confidentiality of Producer Records:  We support the development and implementation of a national animal identification system as outlined in the U.S. Animal Identification Plan with the understanding, as noted in the USAIP, that producer data required by the system be kept confidential and exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. 

 

  • Support for Funding:  We support core funding for the APHIS Brucellosis budget request. Core funding should be designated to absorb and continue to allocate funds and resources now appropriated under brucellosis in order to maintain and strengthen an adequately validated, comprehensive surveillance activity including uniform identification system and assures depopulation funding necessary to continue the brucellosis eradication effort on an emergency basis for a period of at least five years after free status is achieved.


 

CC:     Audrey Adamson, Coordinator, Animal Agriculture Coalition

          Dr. Paul Anderson, Vice Chair, NIAA Pseudorabies Eradication Task Force

          Dr. Alex Ardans, Vice Chair, Emerging Diseases Committee

          Dr. Claude Barton, Vice Chair, NIAA Brucellosis Eradication Task Force

          James Barton, Chairman, American Horse Council

          Dr. Marvin Beeman, Chair, NIAA Equine Health Committee

          Keith Berry, President, National Pork Producers Council

          Dr. Max E. Coats, Chair, NIAA Brucellosis Eradication Task Force

          Dr. Leroy Coffman, Chair, NIAA Cattle Health Committee

          Dr. Dee Ellis, Chair, Animal Health Emergency Management Committee

          Dr. Mark Engle, Chair, Animal Identification and Information Systems Committee

          Guy Flora, President, American Sheep Industry Association

          Dr. Robert Fourdraine, Vice Chair, Animal Identification and Information Systems Committee

          Dr. Adam Grow, Senior Staff Veterinarian

          Dr. Sebastian Heath, Coordinator, National Animal Health Emergency Management Steering Committee

          Gilbert Hollis, Secretary, Illinois Pork Council

          Gene Hugoson, President National Assoc. of State Departments of Agriculture

          Dr. Larue Johnson, Vice Chair, NIAA Sheep & Goat Health Committee

          Dr. Paul Jones, President, American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners

          Karen Jordan, Vice Chair, NIAA Cattle Health Committee

          Mr. James Leafstedt, Chair, NIAA Pseudorabies Eradication Task Force

          Dr. Don Lein, President, United States Animal Health Association

          Jan Lyons, President, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

          Tom Ridge, Secretary, Department of Homeland Security

          Dr. Peter Timoney, Vice Chair, NIAA Equine Health Committee

          U.S. Area Veterinarians in Charge

          U.S. Equine Breed Registries and Associations

          U.S. State Horse Councils

          U.S. State Veterinarians

          U.S. Veterinary Medical Officers

          Ann Veneman, Secretary, United States Department of Agriculture

          Dr. Cindy Wolf, Chair, NIAA Sheep & Goat Health Committee

          Dr. David Zeman, Chair, Emerging Diseases Committee