USAHA News
United States Animal Health Association
Contact:  Larry Mark - (703) 451-3954 - ldmark@erols.com


For immediate release:

UPDATE PROVIDED ON NATIONAL VETERINARY STOCKPILE 

	MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. Oct. 16, 2006 -- Members of the U.S. Animal Health Association (USAHA) 
Committee on Animal Emergency Management were provided with an update on the status of the National 
Veterinary Stockpile at their meeting here this week.

	The stockpile, which is maintained by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), 
consists of vaccines, equipment and supplies -- including protective gear for individual responders -- that can 
be shipped anywhere in the United States within 24 hours in the event of an animal disease outbreak.  APHIS 
has held several exercises in the past year to streamline this process.

	The Committee also heard about APHIS emergency management priorities for 2007.  Dr. Jose Diez, 
the new head of APHIS’ Emergency Management and Diagnostics, said that APHIS is working to establish an 
integrated animal emergency management system that involves federal, state and local entities.  

	A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official provided information on three different training 
opportunities that will be available for animal emergency responders.  The Committee also heard a presentation 
on a web-based emergency management system that tracks various resources and trained personnel.  For 
instance, if an emergency task force was faced with the problem of burying a large number of animals, it could 
go on the web and find out where every backhoe in the state was located.

	Last year’s experience with Hurricane Kristina prompted the Committee to address the problem of 
assigning responsibilities on how to handle livestock and companion animals in the event of a non-disease 
emergency, such as a flood or a blizzard.  In an emergency involving an animal disease, there are clear 
guidelines on who the responders are and who is in charge.  The Committee called on the various agencies 
that would be involved in non-disease emergencies to clarify responsibilities, the chain of command and 
funding issues before an actual emergency occurs.

	The Committee called for the development of a national coordinated carcass and “specified risk 
materials” (SRM) disposal/utilization plan.  This would involve federal agencies that have jurisdiction over 
animal feed, disposal of solid waste, animal health and meat safety, transportation and conservation programs. 
The Committee called for these federal agencies to work with state agencies, livestock and poultry groups and 
the rendering industry in developing such a plan. 

	The Committee also heard a presentation on how to improve efforts to get funding for future animal 
health emergency efforts.

					###