The Department of Agriculture has released the 2005 U.S. Animal Health Report, its second annual national overview of the health of domestic animals.

The report addresses the many components of the animal health infrastructure, animal population demographics, approaches to foreign animal disease surveillance, and new initiatives. The USDA will continue updating and refining the publication each year as a method of communicating with stakeholders and the public about the status of animal health in the country.

The 2005 U.S. Animal Health Report highlights the National Aquatic Animal Health Plan and revisions to the National Veterinary Accreditation Program.

Industry, state governments, and local governments cooperated in development of the aquatic animal health plan. The purpose of the plan is to foster and support effective and efficient aquaculture, protect the health of wild and cultured aquatic resources in the United States, and meet national and international trade obligations.

The revisions to the veterinary accreditation program focus on lifetime education of accredited veterinarians through training modules that will provide updates on policy and procedures along with the latest information on the transmission, recognition, and reporting of exotic and emerging diseases (see JAVMA, July 1, 2006, page 12).

The 2005 U.S. Animal Health Report also discusses the National Animal Identification System and important animal health events in 2005—including a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Texas, hurricane response, and incidents of vesicular stomatitis, anthrax, bluetongue, and equine herpesvirus infection.

The report is available at www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/.