United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Cattle Health - Emergency Response
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Cattle Health - Emergency Response
Cattle Health Center emergency planning focuses on preparing for an outbreak of a Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD). In the event FMD is diagnosed in the United States, an animal health emergency will be declared. Livestock and allied industries will feel the immediate impacts of animal and animal product movement restrictions. To minimize the impact, industry partnered with government and academia to create the Secure Milk Supply (SMS) Plan and the Secure Beef Supply (SBS) Plan.
The goals of the SMS and SBS plans are to:
- Maintain business continuity for producers, haulers, processors, and packers during an outbreak
- Minimize disease spread
- Assure a continuous supply of milk and milk products to consumers
The Cattle Health Center works with closely with the other Surveillance, Preparedness, and Response Services (SPRS) Centers and the six Districts during planning efforts. CHC supports the National Preparedness and Incident Coordination staff in the development of plans and policies focused on Foreign Animal Disease prevention and response activities. For more information on the Secure Milk Supply and Secure Beef Supply plans, please visit securebeef.org and securemilksupply.org.