AASV Sponsors Resolution to Address ?30 Day Health Rule?

October 24, 2007 — 

The United States Animal Health Association's Transmissible Diseases of Swine committee passed a resolution to address issues with the USDA's interpretation of the 30 day health rule.

The resolution asks for changes in the wording of accreditation regulations addressing the issue of animal inspections prior to shipment outside of a recognized production system. USDA has interpreted the language in 9CFR161.3(a)(2) to require an accredited veterinarian to inspect animals born since the last 30 day herd visit before issuing a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection for interstate movement outside of a production system.

AASV sponsored a resolution before the committee recommending the wording be changed to the following: (2)Following the third and subsequent inspections of a herd or flock in a regular health maintenance program, an accredited veterinarian shall not issue a certificate, form, record or report which reflects the results of any inspection, test, vaccination or treatment performed by him or her with respect to any animal residing in the herd or flock at the time of the last inspection or born into the herd or flock since the last inspection in that program, unless he or she has personally inspected that herd or flock within 30 days prior to issuance.

This language would allow veterinarians to issue a CVI for animals born since the previous 30 day herd health visit required as part of a recognized herd health plan without having to revisit the herd to individually inspect the newly born animals.

This resolution will now be forwarded to USDA which has up to a year to respond. If USDA agrees to propose the suggested language change, it may then take up to another year to actually get the wording changed and codified. AASV will continue to work closely with USDA to achieve a workable solution to alleviate the risk of veterinarians potentially losing their accreditation for failure to adhere to this regulation.