Regulating Trade and Opening New 
Markets for U.S. Agriculture 
VS’ National Center for Import and Export 
(NCIE) develops zoosanitary protocols that 
allow the safe import of animals and animal 
products and negotiates protocols that will 
allow the entry of U.S. animals and animal 
products into foreign countries. 
As with their counterparts in APHIS’ Plant 
Protection and Quarantine unit, who deal 
with plant material exports, VS officials pro- 
vide health certification for animals and ani- 
mal products designated for export. 
Examinations and tests, usually done by 
accredited veterinarians, cover both U.S. 
export health requirements and the fre- 
quently complex import requirements of the 
receiving nation. A VS veterinarian endorses 
export health certificates after all tests and 
other requirements have been met. Then a 
final examination is conducted by a VS vet- 
erinarian at the port of export before the 
livestock or poultry leave the country. 
For example, during the week of May 14, 
2000, the Miami Animal Import—Export 
Center reported exports of 92 cattle in 1 ship- 
ment to Venezuela, 40 goats in 1 shipment to 
Brazil, and 5 horses in 3 shipments to 
Barbados, the Cayman Islands, and the 
United Kingdom. The Center also reported 
imports of 40 horses in 5 shipments from 
Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia. All of these 
animal shipments required the proper 
zoosanitary certifications to reach their final 
destination. 
VS regulates the importation of animals that 
enter the country through land ports along 
the borders with Mexico and Canada and 
through three animal import centers located 
in Miami, FL, Newburgh, NY, and Los 
Angeles, CA. Bird imports must enter 
through 1 of 6 VS-operated bird quarantine 
centers or through 1 of 60 privately owned, 
VS-supervised quarantine facilities. 
Eradicating Foreign Pests and 
Diseases 
Within 24 hours of suspicion of a foreign 
animal disease outbreak anywhere in the 
United States, a specially trained Foreign 
Animal Disease Diagnostician (FADD) is dis- 
patched to collect appropriate samples for 
diagnosis. Depending on the findings, a spe- 
cially trained Early Response Team (ERT) 
may be assembled to work on the issue. 
Initially, the team might consist of just a 
couple of epidemiologists but can quickly be 
expanded to include other FADDs, veterinary 
specialists, and administrative support. It’s 
the job of the ERT to conduct an epidemio- 
logic investigation in order to determine the 
source and nature of the suspected outbreak. 
The ERT is also responsible for taking the 
necessary blood, tissue, and other samples 
that are critical for diagnosing the suspected 
disease. The results of those tests determine 
what happens next. 
In most cases, the test results are negative 
for a foreign animal disease, but should a 
major outbreak occur, APHIS has another 
team in place to begin controlling and 
eradicating the disease. 
In the rare event of a serious foreign animal 
disease outbreak, a VS task force known as 
the Regional Emergency Animal Disease 
Eradication Organization (READEO) team 
can be onsite rapidly to implement the meas- 
ures necessary to eradicate the disease. 
These task forces consist of VS employees, 
State veterinarians, military support person- 
nel, industry liaisons, and representatives 
from other units within USDA. The last time 
a READEO was called into action was in 1984 
to eradicate an outbreak of avian influenza. 
At APHIS headquarters in Riverdale, MD, 
animal disease outbreaks are managed by VS’ 
Emergency Programs (EP) staff, which was 
created in 1972. EP and its cooperators eradi- 
cate foreign animal diseases before they can 
establish themselves in American livestock. 
Within 24 hours 
of suspicion of a 
foreign animal 
disease outbreak 
anywhere in the 
United States, 
a specially 
trained Foreign 
Animal Disease 
Diagnostician 
(FADD) is 
dispatched to 
collect appropriate 
samples for 
diagnosis. 
Animal Health Programs 3 
