The texas animal health commission will enhance their electronic animal movement permitting system to help livestock veterinarians effectively and efficiently acquire permits to move animals into…

The Texas Animal Health Commission received $138,756 in cooperative agreement funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025). The award, issued September 1, 2025, with completion targeted for August 31, 2027, supports the enhancement of Texas's electronic animal movement permitting system to streamline livestock veterinarians' ability to acquire permits for interstate animal transport. The project deliverables include development and deployment of a public-facing online electronic permit (e-permit) application and portal with integration to the state's animal health information system, along with comprehensive training materials for veterinarians and state personnel.

This initiative strengthens Texas's disease outbreak response capabilities by enabling rapid animal traceability to origin and destination points, thereby improving the state's preparedness for livestock disease emergencies. The project benefits producers and veterinarians across Texas and neighboring states by accelerating safe animal commerce while protecting the economic interests of farmers, ranchers, and rural communities vulnerable to livestock disease impacts.

The texas animal health commission will enhance their electronic animal movement permitting system to help livestock veterinarians effectively and efficiently acquire permits to move animals into the state of texas. The project will improve texas' ability to quickly and efficiently trace animals to their origin and destination in an animal disease outbreak. The project includes the development of an online electronic PERMIT (E-PERMIT) application and portal that will be available to the public, and IT will also connect the application data to the state's animal health information system. The project team will create training materials to help veterinarians and state personnel use the E-permitting system. Producers from texas and neighboring states will benefit from this project because IT will speed up the safe movement of animals in commerce. The project increases texas' preparedness for livestock disease outbreaks and will protect the livelihoods and economic opportunities of farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.