November 27, 2000

USDA and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture will cooperate in a nationwide animal health safeguarding review to assess the performance and efficacy of veterinary services' safeguarding system for preventing, testing, and responding appropriately to adverse animal health events.

The review is being conducted by NASDA given the cooperative nature of VS' animal health programs. Each state plays an integral part in protecting U.S. animal health on a national level by implementing standardized animal health regulations, conducting surveillance, assisting with foreign animal disease investigations and responding to potential disease introductions.

"The review is a mutually beneficial opportunity," said Michael V. Dunn, under secretary of agriculture for marketing and regulatory programs. "We will collectively learn what is working well and what needs enhancement with the shared goal of insuring optimal performance and efficacy of our system to safeguard the United States from an adverse animal health event regardless of its source."