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Brief History

For more than a century -- since 1883 -- industry, states, tribes, territories and USDA have together advanced animal disease traceability.  This has resulted in the eradication of a number of animal diseases in various livestock and poultry sectors.  In addition, advancements in animal disease traceability have resulted in the documentation of disease freedom, which has facilitated domestic and international animal and animal product movement.

Following the diagnosis of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the United States in December of 2003, collaborative efforts to advance animal disease traceability were accelerated in order to align with advancing information technology resources.
 
A New Framework

On February 5, 2010, USDA announced a new, flexible framework for animal disease traceability in the United States.  Building upon successes of efforts by all partners in advancing animal disease traceability since 2004, this new framework is to be administered by states and tribal nations.  Because states and tribal nations are at varying stages of capability, and the new framework is aligned with outcome-based performance measures of traceability, needs vary in leveraging state, tribal and federal resources to meet appropriate performance measures.

For more information, please visit the USDA's Animal Disease Traceability website at www.aphis.usda.gov/traceability/ or contact the New Jersey Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health at 609-671-6400.