Through its National Import Export Service (NIES), VS facilitates the domestic and international marketability of U.S. animals and animal products. The growing interest in agricultural trade in the global market has expanded VS’ role to include ensuring that new trade opportunities are created while the Nation’s animal health continues to be safeguarded.
Under the World Trade Organization (WTO), Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement, countries are required to formulate their sanitary import measures on science-based principles and guidelines. The WTO recognizes the World Organization for Animal Health (formerly known as the Office of International Epizooties) (OIE) as the international forum for setting animal health standards, reporting global animal events and disease status, and presenting guidelines and recommendations on sanitary measures relating to animal health.
OIE and International Standards
The OIE was established in Paris, France, in 1924 with the signing of an international agreement by 28 countries. As of March 2011, the organization had 178 Members, each of which is represented by a delegate who, in most cases, is the chief veterinary officer of the country. The mission of the OIE is to prevent the spread of animal diseases. To achieve this mission, OIE has three primary functions: (1) to collect and disseminate information on the distribution and occurrence of animal diseases, (2) to coordinate research on contagious animal diseases, and (3) to develop international standards for the safe movement of animals and animal products in international trade.
In recent years, the mandate of the OIE has expanded to include animal welfare, food production and food safety, and strengthening of the veterinary services. Within VS, four major program areas interact directly with the OIE: (1) NIES’s International Animal Health Standards Services (IAHSS), (2) the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL), (3) the Centers of Veterinary Biologics (CVB), and (4) the Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health (CEAH).
NIES’s International Animal Health Standards Services
Contact Point for the International Animal Health Standards Services
National Center for Import and Export International Animal Health Standards Services USDA–APHIS–VS
4700 River Rd., Unit 33
Riverdale, MD 20737–1231
Tel: (301) 734–5324
Fax: (301) 734–8818
e-mail: usa.oie@aphis.usda.gov
CEAH: An OIE Collaborating Center
As an OIE collaborating center, CEAH share their risk analysis and disease surveillance expertise with member countries. It provides them with technical assistance and expert advice on disease surveillance and control and risk analysis. As a collaborating center, CEAH fulfills the following objectives:
Contact Point for CEAH
Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health USDA–APHIS–VS
2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. B Fort Collins, CO 80526 Tel: (970) 494–7200
Fax: (970) 472–2668
e-mail: ceah@aphis.usda.gov
Center for the Diagnosis of Animal Diseases and Vaccine Evaluation for the Americas: An OIE Collaborating Center
The Center for the Diagnosis of Animal Diseases and Vaccine Evaluation for the Americas consists of three components:
NVSL
NVSL are full-service laboratories that have expertise in all of the diagnostic tests for significant animal diseases found in the Americas. These laboratories are committed to sharing and harmonizing these procedures with other countries in the Americas. The NVSL support the OIE by
Contact point for NVSL/ National Veterinary Services Laboratories
USDA–APHIS–VS
1920 Dayton Ave
P.O. Box 844
Ames, IA 50010
Tel: (515) 337–7266
Fax: (515) 337–7397
e-mail: NVSL_Concerns@usda.gov
CVB
CVB is the sole confirmatory and investigatory testing laboratory involved in regulation of commercial veterinary biologics (vaccines and diagnostic kits) in the United States. CVB supports OIE by
Contact point for CVB/ Center for Veterinary Biologics
USDA–APHIS–VS
1920 Dayton Ave
PO Box 844
Ames, IA 50010
Tel: (515) 337–7331
Fax: (515) 337–7397
e-mail: cvb@aphis.usda.gov
IICAB
IICAB is based at Iowa State University and concentrates its efforts on education and implementation of international communication and harmonization activities related to the availability, safety, and efficacy of veterinary biologics. IICAB supports OIE by
Contact point for IICAB/ Institute for International Cooperation in Animal Biologics
College of Veterinary Medicine Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50010
Tel: (515) 294–7189
Fax: (515) 294–8259
e-mail: iicab@iastate.edu