To Achieve Scrapie Eradication

The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), in a letter to John Clifford, DVM, deputy administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS) Veterinary Services, requested a formal review of the states' enforcement activities and asked that states comply with their scrapie regulations.

"In order to achieve national compliance in a timely manner, we are urging APHIS to conduct the review and associated enforcement activities as soon as possible," commented Glen Fisher (Texas), ASI president. "We are recommending that one-third of the states be reviewed in each of the next three years."

Adequate funding and regulatory compliance are key to accomplishing the eradication of scrapie. Producers, marketers and processors have confirmed that scrapie identification compliance varies dramatically between states and regions.

APHIS requires states be 'consistent' by having scrapie regulatory authority in place, however; it is necessary to review the enforcement of these regulations to determine consistency across the country.