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USAHA News Alert Summaries - December 14, 2015 - In this issue:
1. USDA Proposes Updates to Brucellosis and Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) Program Regulations
2. Bird transport ban lifted [ND]
3. War Game: Department of Ag Walks Through Avian Flu Response [PA]
4. Bovine "Trich" Confirmed In 2 Oglala Lakota County Cow Herds [SD]
5. FSIS Updates Best Practices for Minimizing Salmonella, Campylobacter
6. GlobalVetLINK adds GVL SmartEngine technology to systems
7. IMPORT ALERT: European Union and African Swine Fever
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1. USDA Proposes Updates to Brucellosis and Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) Program Regulations
Changes Would Better Suit Current Needs, While Still Protecting Against These Diseases
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Bulletin
December 11, 2015
 
 
Washington - The United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to update its brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis (TB) program regulations. The changes outlined in the proposed rule were developed over several years of close collaboration between APHIS and its state, tribal and industry partners. They will allow the brucellosis and TB programs to be most effective at protecting animal health today and into the future.
 
Under the proposed rule, states and tribal nations would no longer be categorized by the disease prevalence in their state, and APHIS would no longer rely solely on whole-herd depopulation. Instead, APHIS is proposing to establish standards for disease surveillance, epidemiological investigations and affected herd management. States and tribes would develop and implement an animal health plan that outlines how they will meet those standards. States and tribes would be categorized by whether they have an animal health plan, whether APHIS has approved this plan, and whether they are following the activities outlined in their plan.
 
APHIS would also outline requirements for both interstate movements and imports of cattle, bison and captive cervids, as well as conditions for approving tests, testing laboratories and testers.
 
These proposed revisions are needed to address the many changes that these industries have undergone since the existing programs were developed many years ago.   Herds today are much larger than they used to be, and federal funds available for indemnity payments are limited. Using depopulation as the only method of control is no longer feasible. Instead, it is proven that a test and remove strategy is a cost effective alternative for controlling these diseases, and can be less costly to the American taxpayer.   In this strategy, infected herds are tested on a periodic basis and any animals that test positive are removed from the herd.
 
By using program compliance rather than disease prevalence to determine statuses in the proposed rule, states and tribes will no longer run the risk of status downgrades and state-wide restrictions and testing requirements when sporadic cases may appear. Rather, they can focus their disease control efforts on specifically designated herds or areas. For example, wildlife populations in certain parts of the country carry these diseases and can reintroduce them into domestic herds of any species.
 
Brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis are contagious diseases caused by bacteria that affect cattle, bison and cervids (deer, elk), among others. They negatively impact animal health and animal production, and can negatively affect international trade. It is absolutely essential to protect our nation's herds from these diseases.
 
This action is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015. The proposed rule is currently available for review at www.aphis.usda.gov under Latest News. APHIS will be seeking public comment on this proposal. Consideration will be given to comments received within 90 days of publication in the Federal Register.
 
 
 
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2. Bird transport ban lifted [ND]
By Jessica Holdman
Bismarck Tribune
December 11, 2015
 
 
North Dakota bird producers can again take their animals to shows and public sales within the state.
 
The State Board of Animal Health rescinded a transport ban put into place in April to help protect North Dakota's poultry industry during the national outbreak of avian influenza.
 
North Dakota had two confirmed cases of avian influenza in commercial operations, which affected more than 130,000 birds. Nationally, the outbreak affected more than 48 million birds in 15 states.
 
State veterinarian Susan Keller said bird owners should immediately report unusual death losses and prevent contact between their birds and wild birds.
 
Anyone bringing birds into North Dakota should contact the North Dakota Department of Agriculture's Animal Health Division at 701-328-2655 to ensure they are meeting importation requirements.
 
 
 
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3. War Game: Department of Ag Walks Through Avian Flu Response [PA]
By Philip Gruber, Staff Writer
LancasterFarming.com
December 11, 2015
 
 
EAST EARL, Pa. - The poultry industry is arming itself against an enemy that won't surrender and could strike at any time.
 
Highly pathogenic avian influenza looms over Pennsylvania's poultry houses like an invading force, and the state has spent much of this year trying to prevent the disease from pillaging the industry.
 
At PennAg Industries Association's meat and egg meeting on Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture presented what amounted to a war game, a step-by-step march through its response to an outbreak.
 
The "tabletop exercise" was really just a slide show presentation, so there were no radio reports crackling in from troops armed with foaming carts headed toward a poultry house.
 
 
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4. Bovine "Trich" Confirmed In 2 Oglala Lakota County Cow Herds [SD]
By: John Axtell, Associated Press
ChadRad.com
December 11, 2015
 
 
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - The South Dakota Animal Industry Board says a reproductive cattle disease has been diagnosed in three South Dakota herds, including two in Oglala Lakota County. The other is in Corson and Ziebach counties.
 
Bovine trichomoniasis or "trich" is a venereal disease of cattle transmitted between cows and bulls and caused by a single-cell parasite that can result in early term spontaneous abortions and infertility, resulting in extended calving intervals.
 
The Animal Industry Board is requiring that any non-virgin bull, whether already in South Dakota or coming into the state, test negative for trich before being sold, loaned or leased for breeding.
 
 
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5. FSIS Updates Best Practices for Minimizing Salmonella, Campylobacter
By Staff
Food Safety Magazine
December 11, 2015
 
 
Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA's FSIS) published revised guidelines aimed at assisting poultry processors with controlling Salmonella and Campylobacter in raw food products and preventing foodborne illness.
 
The guidelines--entitled "FSIS Compliance Guideline for Controlling Salmonella and Campylobacter in Raw Poultry"--are the fourth edition of the updated documents*. They are intended to offer poultry companies best practices for minimizing pathogen levels and meeting FSIS' food safety requirements.
[ *See: http://tinyurl.com/ojecs4x ]
 
"These guidelines take into account the latest science and practical considerations, including lessons learned from foodborne illness outbreaks in the last several years, to assist establishments in producing safer food," says USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Al Almanza. "This new guide is one piece of FSIS' Salmonella Action Plan and our effort to reduce Salmonella illnesses attributed to meat and poultry products by 25 percent in order to meet the nation's Healthy People 2020 goals. By following the newer guidelines, poultry facilities can help us reach this important public health target."
 
 
 
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6. GlobalVetLINK adds GVL SmartEngine technology to systems
By GlobalVetLINK
Drovers CattleNetwork.com
December 11, 2015
 
 
Animal health practitioners and owners face growing challenges in maintaining compliance with state livestock movement requirements. GlobalVetLINK's new, patent-pending GVL SmartEngine™ technology helps eliminate the burden of regulatory compliance.
 
System users now have the ability to look up state import and animal disease traceability (ADT) requirements and automatically verify them in one place to ensure compliance in all areas. GlobalVetLINK is working closely with state animal health officials to ensure accurate requirements are presented to users. Currently over 35% of the states' import requirements are available through GVL SmartEngine.
 
"Having interstate movement requirements available within the GVL systems take the guesswork out of creating animal health documents," explained Kaylen Henry, product manager at GlobalVetLINK.
 
 
Full text:
 
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7. IMPORT ALERT: European Union and African Swine Fever
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Bulletin
December 11, 2015
 
 
On August 31, 2015, the Animal Health and Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that the European Union (EU) and EU Member State-defined regions of the EU would be added to the APHIS list of regions affected with African Swine Fever (ASF). This action is the result of findings of ASF in the EU Member States of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Following the detection of ASF, APHIS recognizes any region that the EU or any EU Member State has placed under restriction as affected by ASF.
 
The EU reported outbreaks of ASF in both domestic and feral swine populations in the Member States mentioned above. APHIS prohibits the importation of hunter harvested swine meat and carcasses from the EU-effective immediately. However, any hunter-harvested swine products that are consigned to APHIS-approved establishments as trophies, or imported as fully-finished trophies, may be allowed entry into the United States.
 
 
 
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USAHA News Alert Summaries is a service provided to its members as a timely, up-to-date source of news affecting animal health and related subjects, intended for personal use by USAHA members.  Information in these articles does not necessarily represent the views or positions of USAHA. 

   Sources of articles are state, national and international media outlets, press releases, and direct from organizations or agencies.  Each article includes direct citation and link.  Comments, questions or concerns about the information included in each article should be directed to the source in addition to USAHA. While USAHA strives for accuracy in the information it shares, the News Alert Summaries should be treated as a tool that provides a snapshot of information being reported regarding animal health and related subjects.