Table Of Contentdocument
Historic, archived
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific l<nowledge, policies, or practices.
aSF601.A1U5
%
VS 2015:
A New Perspective
Throughout its long historyasthe Nation's premier networksforcollaboration. It is about^alVpivingyou
veterinary authority. VeterinaryServices (VS)—a pro- more closely in important regulatory decisionsthat
gram within the U.S. DepartmentofAgriculture's (USDA) may affectyou.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service—has
offered its stakeholders essential services that have Most important, VS 2015 is about results: givingyou
helped to keep their animals healthy and businesses whatyou need, when and howyou need it.
thriving. But the forces at work in animal agriculture
today demand a new perspective and fresh VS already offers stakeholders a broad range ofsup-
approachesto an array of new advances and portand services in vital areas: the importand export
challenges. ofanimals, animal products, and biologies; emergency
preparedness and response: animal disease diagnos-
Alongwith striking progress in animal health tech- tics; animal vaccine development; and animal disease
nologyand disease identification has come the surveillance, control, and eradication. But in response
emergence (and reemergence) of myriad infectious to the most pressing needs oftoday, VS has identified
diseases. Trade has expanded, and with it demand a special group of priority issues to be addressed in
for 24-7 accessto related services and resources—but 2011 and 2012. These priorities include:
so hasthe potential forexoticanimal diseases and
peststo enterthe United States. Whilethe health of More flexible, transparent regulatory frameworks
animals remains VS' primaryfocus, it has also become for animal disease traceability and other issues.
inextricably linked with the health of people and the After extensive outreach to and engagementwith
viabilityofourecosystems. And while costs may rise stakeholders, we have published an animal disease
for agriculture nationwide, budgets of U.S. Govern- traceability regulation for livestock moving interstate.
mentagencies like ours mayshrink. This represents a significant milestone in VS' evolu-
tion: a move to a performance-based ratherthan
Navigatingthis complex 21stcentury landscape a prescriptive approach to regulation. We will help
demandsflexibility, innovation, and partnership—the States and tribes develop, document, and implement
drivingforces behind VS 2015. This initiative, 3 years theirtraceability plans by providingfundsthrough
in the making, isthe productofvalued inputfrom our cooperative agreements, providing low-cost identifica-
employees, our managementteam, and from you: the tion (ID) tags, makingother IDtechnologyavailablefor
many localities, States, tribes, industries, universities, purchase, and establishingan information technology
and others who are ourstakeholders. (IT) infrastructureto supporttraceability. We will also
establish traceability implementation plans forachiev-
VS 2015 is aboutstreamliningand retoolingexisting ing regulatorycompliance, properadministration of
VS operations sothatyou benefitfrom improved official ID devices, and evaluation ofState and tribal
efficiency and service. It is about enhancingdiag- plans. In addition, usingthe traceability experience as
nosticsand disease management, fine-tuningour a model, we will implementchangesto currentbovine
readiness and response to emergencies, investing tuberculosis, brucellosis, and pseudorabies regulations.
in technical infrastructure, and buildingever-broader
'^MlKiMMAGRICULTURAL LIBRARY
1023113630
Animal import/export. VS is currentlyevaluating Wildlife diseases. Cost-benefitanalysesfor reducing
and refiningthe conceptofexportcentersto deter- the prevalence ofwildlife diseases, as well asthe risk
mine if itcan be expanded to coverthe United States oftransmittingthem, are essential itemsfor us. We
and to eventually include otherservicessuch as expectourfirstanalysisofthis kind tofocus on brucel-
facility inspection/approvalsforselectagents, biolog- losis in the GreaterYellowstone Area.
ies, laboratories, and other exportfacilities. We are
also developingelectronic inspection and certification One Health. In addition to integratingOne Health
processes, startingwith export products certification. initiatives into daily VS activities, we will continue to
build new collaborationsand partnerships in the One
Emergency management (EM). We are developing Health community.
new EM toolsthat include a plan fora secure milk
supply, swine euthanasia technology, and waysto Regular program review. In recognition ofthe chang-
expand ourabilityto mobilize non-Federal employees ingneedsofagriculture, global animal health, and
to respond to emergencies. We will also develop and stakeholders, VS will routinely reevaluate program
implementa plan to communicate with you about how goals and strategies—a processto include cost/benefit
to use a wide range ofEM tools and identify high- and risk analysis aswell asstakeholder input.
priority ITsystemsfor EM fordevelopmentand
deployment. These immediate priorities are onlythe beginningof
ourambitious goals and objectives forthe evolution
Surveillance. We are implementinga comprehen- ofVS, now and in theyears ahead. Weare committed
sive, integrated surveillance plan forswine health to this path of progress and to servingyou byenhanc-
thatwill include broad-rangingdata foranalysis and ingand refocusingthe strengthsthat have made VS
decisionmaking, and we aregeneratinga timelineto an internationally recognized and trusted partner. We
address commodity-specificsurveillance plans. In lookforward to yourcontinuing participation in this
addition, we are developingpolicies and standards dynamic vision forourfuture and to providingyou with
thataddress data confidentiality and information the benefits ofour new approach. And, we invite you
sharing, as well as a cross-functional IT infrastructure to visit ourVS 2015 Web page atwww.aphis.usda.
for national surveillance information management, gov/vs2015, where you will find detailed descriptions
analysis, and dissemination. ofour initiative, project plans, and more.
USDA
United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
APHIS 91-05-007 • Issued September 2011
USDA is an equal opportunity providerand employer.
