USDA releases report on animal health

The Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recently released the 2007 U.S. Animal Health Report, an overview of the health of domestic animals and the status of relevant USDA programs.

The 2007 report starts with a chapter about focus areas central to the mission of APHIS Veterinary Services—including emergency planning and preparedness, surveillance for avian influenza, the National Aquatic Animal Health Plan, the National Animal Identification System, and the National Animal Health Surveillance System.

The report includes a new chapter on diagnostics and veterinary biologics. The chapter describes the missions, functions, and recent accomplishments of the National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Center for Veterinary Biologics, and National Animal Health Laboratory Network.

The rest of the report covers the topics of foreign and emerging animal diseases, programs to eradicate or control disease, monitoring for disease that affects production, an overview of production, international trade, behind-the-scenes programs and tools at Veterinary Services, and collaborations in animal and public health.

The 2007 U.S. Animal Health Report is available on the APHIS Web site at aphis.usda.gov/publications.