Scrapie Control Pilot Programs Revised

December 17, 1999

USDA is proposing a change that would exempt sheep and goat flocks from certain regulatory requirements when the flocks are participating in scrapie control pilot projects. Some animals could remain in the flock to allow alternative "cleanup strategies" to be studied.

An example of how the proposal would work is that current regulations require that certain animals identified as high risk must be removed from flocks. But the proposed rule would allow those animals that test negative on a live animal test or that are genetically less susceptible to scrapie to remain with their flocks so that alternative cleanup strategies could be studied.

Scrapie is a degenerative and eventually fatal disease affecting the central nervous systems of sheep and goats. For more than 40 years, USDA has maintained programs to eradicate or reduce the incidence of scrapie, using a variety of approaches. The proposed rule would affect no more than 75 sheep flocks with about 3,400 sheep that may be in pilot projects in a given year.

The proposal is to be published in today's Federal Register. The news release on the proposal is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/press/1999/12/scrapcon.txt.