The United States is fortunate that foot and mouth disease (FMD)—a highly contagious, devastating viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals—has not occurred in the country since 1929. Secure Food Supply Plans, including the Secure Sheep and Wool Supply Plan, were developed to assist producers, transporters and food processors in the event of a foreign animal disease outbreak in the U.S., namely FMD. If FMD is found in U.S. livestock, regulatory officials will limit the movement of animals and animal products to try and control the spread of this disease.
The plans provide opportunities for producers to voluntarily prepare before an outbreak. This will better position premises that have no evidence of infection to:
- limit exposure of their animals through enhanced biosecurity,
- move animals to processing or another premises under a movement permit issued by regulatory officials, and
- maintain business continuity for the industry, including producers, haulers, and packers during an FMD outbreak.
The plans are funded by the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS). The National Pork Board provides additional funding for the Secure Pork Supply Plan, and the American Sheep Industry Association solely funded creation of the Secure Sheep and Wool Supply Plan.
The Plans
The five secure food supply plans for the following animal products are:
The Sheep and Wool Plan
On August 4, 2020, a webinar was held by Dr. Jay Parsons of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with presenter Danelle Bickett-Weddle of the Center for Food Security and Public Health, to discuss FMD, how the U.S. plans to respond if an outbreak occurs in North America, and the Secure Sheep and Wool Supply Plan resources available to protect the flock. The webinar recording is below, and webinar slide deck can be downloaded here.
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