Foot and Mouth Disease

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) monitoring, control and eradication efforts are necessary in today's highly mobile environment and globalized agricultural economy where the possibility exists for an accidental or intentional introduction of FMD into the USA.  A single infected animal or one contaminated sausage could carry the virus to American livestock.
Our overall program goal is to protect the United States from FMD and other devastating foreign animal diseases (FADs) such as Bovine Spongioform Encephalopathy (BSE), avian influenza, classical swine fever, African horse sickness and others. Entry of any of these diseases could cost US producers and consumers millions of dollars.  The US Government's strategy for protecting against the occurrence of these diseases includes the following activities outside US borders: monitor the occurrence of FMD and other foreign animal diseases world-wide, evaluate the potential exposure of the US to foreign outbreaks and reduce the threat of catastrophic foreign animal diseases spreading to the US such as assisting other nations with a rapid emergency response when these diseases are detected.