Emergency Programs

One of the vital components to the work of Office of State Veterinarian (OSV) is to prepare for, control, and mitigate livestock disease outbreaks. The current OSV's preparedness and response activities are:

Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) Preparedness

A foreign animal disease (FAD) is a disease not currently found in the United States. Some FADs may have been in the U.S. in the past, but have been eradicated. FADs are defined as those of significant economic, trade and/or food security importance; which can easily spread and reach epidemic proportions. Control and management of these diseases, requires cooperation between stakeholders of animal agriculture, veterinarians, and the state and federal animal health officials. The FADs of greatest concern could cause significant illness or death in animals, potentially cause illness in humans, or cause economic harm by eliminating trade with other countries and states. Incursions of these diseases would greatly impact the livelihood of Kentucky farmers, ranchers, and communities.

The strategy to protect Kentucky and eliminate FADs, when necessary, follows these basic principles:

• i. Detect the disease
• ii. Contain the disease
• iii. Eliminate the disease

The OSV preparedness efforts include continued development of foreign animal disease response plans, foreign animal disease response exercises, and development of a foreign animal disease outreach and education materials.

Kentucky Secure Food Supply Efforts

What is Secure Food Supply?
Secure Food Supply plans are designed to provide guidance to producers and animal health responders for maintaining continuity of business while, most importantly, effectively controlling and eradicating disease during a foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak. Continuity of business can be defined as: the management of non-infected premises and non-contaminated animal products in the event of a FAD outbreak. Continuity of business provides science- and risk-based approaches and systems as a critical activity in any FAD response. This helps agriculture and food industries maintain typical business or return to business during a disaster response, while the risk of disease spread is effectively managed.

What is Kentucky doing?
In Kentucky, OSV is working to produce guidance, response plans, and outreach suited for Kentucky's unique livestock and poultry industry, while mirroring and incorporating the developments of the national plans. Our efforts are focused on streamlining the common, all-commodity concepts within SFS plans for farm premises, haulers, and processors, and addressing industry-unique characteristics as needed. Efforts are focusing on developing plan templates and getting Kentucky farms pre-certified before an outbreak. The plans include resources and guidance on preparedness, biosecurity, surveillance and disease monitoring, and movement and permitting, focusing on major relevant FADs, such as highly pathogenic avian influenza, African swine fever, and foot and mouth disease.

Species Specific Secure Food Supply Plan Surveys listed below:

• Secure Beef Supply Survey : https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PY8XSXD

• Secure Pork Supply Survey : https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PDS7HL

• Secure Poultry Supply Survey : https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5ZGRWQX

For a printable version of the above surveys please see the Documents section on the sidebar.

National Animal Disease Preparedness (NADPRP) Grant Project

The NADPRP grant funds will be used to build the KDA's emergency infrastructure to enhance preparedness for a foreign animal disease outbreak. In addition to training of personnel, funds will be used to ensure adequateemergency response supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and other equipment (i.e. stocked emergency response trailer), are available and maintained ready for a response. Grant projects include development of Kentucky specific biosecurity templates for the secure food supply plans for cattle, swine and poultry operations, as well as outreach and education to producers pertaining to these topics.