Animal disease traceability (ADT) is critical to protecting the nation's animal agriculture sector from disease threats, maintaining a secure food supply, and demonstrating value to economic trading…

Animal disease traceability (ADT) is critical to protecting the nation's animal agriculture sector from disease threats, maintaining a secure food supply, and demonstrating value to economic trading partners. Effective state ADT programs enable the timely and efficient identification of animals infected with or exposed to reportable diseases, including zoonotic, foreign animal, and economically significant diseases. In alaska, the expansive interface between domestic livestock, poultry, and wildlife increases the risk of disease spillover, heightening the importance of an effective ADT program. The purpose of the 2026 cooperative agreement between the alaska state department of agriculture (OSV) and the united states department of agriculture (USDA) is to ensure that the state's ADT program meets federal ADT standards and required deliverables. As part of this cooperative agreement, OSV will administer an official animal identification program, maintain and enhance available electronic record platforms, and provide support and resources to producers and accredited veterinarians to meet ADT requirements. OSV will also use national priority trace exercises to evaluate the efficiency of its ADT system and to identify areas for improvement. In addition, OSV will conduct compliance and enforcement activities consistent with ADT regulations and standards. During the 2026 cooperative agreement cycle, OSV intends to: distribute 100-200 official identification devices (rfid tags, microchips, and other species appropriate options) through OSV to category II accredited veterinarians and livestock producers. Make tag readers available regionally through veterinarians and, as appropriate, through university cooperative extension agents and slaughter facilities, and may also be borrowed from the OSV office. Apply and read ID during regulatory testing or handling events, including slaughter plant activities and veterinary examinations for cvis. Record tag INF ormation in DIS aims. Maintain all internal and external ADT platforms and portals; maintain the ecvi and epermit systems and manage livestock import and export data from vsps, globalvetlink, and other third party vendors; continue developing new, fully electronic ecvi system that is more user friendly, accessible, and improves traceability; continue management of movement and testing documentation electronically from globalvetlink, vsps, and contract laboratories; convert paper traceability documents (official ID records, cvis, and test/vaccination records) to electronic format to support efficient retrieval during trace events; conduct trace investigations of reportable disease suspects to identify exposed herds and determine disease origin; complete national priority trace exercises (NPT) when initiated by VS ADT staff. Use findings to address and identified gaps in the traceability program; provide outreach through the OSV webpage, veterinary medical association, listservs, and direct communication with veterinarians, producers, slaughter plant operators, farm bureau, and cooperative extension; provide training and outreach on ADT regulatory requirements and available resources to veterinarians (35-40) during one-on-one accreditation training; deliver training and support regarding official identification and movement document requirements, benefits, and resources to producers and other industry stakeholders during group meetings (15-20) and individual consultations; conduct monthly slaughter plant visits to promote traceability in slaughter channels; address compliance issues, including non accredited veterinarians issuing cvis and failure to obtain required import permits. Follow up with affected veterinarians and update the website to improve access to specific import requirements; investigate approximately 4-8 suspected ADT compliance violations; document deliverables and track metrics including electronic cvis, accredited veterinarian usage, paper-to-electronic form shifts, and interstate CVI submissions in quarterly reports.during the award period, OSV expects to completed the following deliverables. Distribution of 100-200 official identification devices (rfid tags, microchips, and other species appropriate options) and loaned tag readers to category II accredited veterinarians and livestock producers. Documentation of official identification distribution in DIS aims and maintenance of all internal and external ADT platforms and portals. Maintenance of the ecvi and epermit systems and management of livestock import and export data from vsps, globalvetlink, and other third party vendors. Pilot test completion of fully electronic, user friendly ecvi system that improves accessibility and traceability. Conversion of paper traceability documents (official ID records, cvis, and test/vaccination records) to electronic format for efficient retrieval during trace events. Completion of: trace investigations for reportable disease suspects to identify infected or exposed herds; national priority trace exercises (NPT) initiated by VS ADT staff and implementation of actions to address identified traceability gaps. Monthly slaughter plant visits to promote and verify traceability in slaughter channels. Delivery of: outreach through the OSV webpage, veterinary medical association, listservs, and direct communication with veterinarians, producers, slaughter facilities, farm bureau, and cooperative extension. One on one accreditation training to 35-40 veterinarians, including ADT regulatory requirements and available resources. Training and support to producers and industry stakeholders on official identification and movement do cument requirements during 15-20 group meetings and individual consultations. Investigation of 4-8 suspected ADT compliance issues, including non accredited veterinarians issuing cvis and failure to obtain required import permits, along with updates to the OSV website to improve access to import requirements. Documentation of deliverables and track metrics including electronic cvis, accredited veterinarian usage, paper-to-electronic form shifts, and interstate CVI submissions in quarterly reports. Expected outcomes of this cooperative agreement include: increased use of official identification and increased adoption of electronic identification and electronic movement documentation. Expanded options for electronic movement documentations for veterinarians and producers. Improved completeness of interstate movement data through consistent operation of the ecvi and epermit systems and integration of vsps, globalvetlink, and other vendor data. Faster retrieval of movement and testing information as a result of converting paper traceability documents to electronic formats. Demonstrated capability to conduct timely and efficient interstate animal disease traces. Increased producer, veterinarian, and industry understanding of ADT regulations, resources, and benefits of EID and electronic record management. Increased stakeholder compliance with ADT regulation. This award directly benefits producers, accredited veterinarians, and other industry stakeholders in alaska, as well as stakeholders involved in interstate and international livestock movement into or out of the state. USDA, OSV, and other animal health agencies also benefit through improved efficiency and speed of animal disease trace activities. In addition, the general public benefits due to ADT's role in protecting food and fiber supply and commerce. Examples of beneficiaries include: 385 accredited veterinarians in alaska; 3 federally inspected slaughter facilities; alaska livestock and poultry producers, including: 142 cattle operations (26 dairy operations 112 beef operations); 11 bison herds; 9 cervid herds; 265 layer poultry layer flocks, 308 other poultry operations; 58 sheep farms and 83 goat farms; 78 swine operations; 12 aquaculture facilities. No subrecipients.