Enhanced Biosecurity Planning

Implementing basic or routine biosecurity plans involves applying specific tasks and practices in your day-to-day operations that provide the foundation for protecting animal health and well-being, as well as managing risks to your business. Enhanced biosecurity planning includes additional measures to prepare for future outbreaks of foreign animal diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease. Such an outbreak would result in extraordinary measures taken by federal and state agencies to stop and limit animal movement, determine the extent of the disease in the U.S., stop its spread, and eliminate it from the U.S., if possible.

When a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak is detected in the U.S., business as usual will cease and be replaced by nationwide crisis management for livestock and dairy industries, regardless of where the initial outbreak is detected. Mitigating the operational and economic impacts on your business before a crisis occurs is why the continuity of business plans were developed by and for industry. Having contingency plans in place, establishing premises identification numbers (PINs) for traceability, and completing an approved enhanced biosecurity plan allows you to obtain livestock movement permits if your animals are not infected. Enhanced Biosecurity planning could mean the difference between remaining in business or not.

These plans are designed to provide for the continuity of business for livestock operators who find themselves affected by movement restrictions during an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease or another foreign animal disease in the United States. Secure Food Supply Plans provide guidance for livestock producers to voluntarily prepare before a foreign animal disease outbreak to limit exposure of their animals. Secure food supply plans were developed with input from industry, state and federal health officials, and academic partners to provide voluntary strategies that support control for infected premises and business continuity for uninfected operations. 

How can I prepare?

Producers can prepare now by:

1. Having a national Premises Identification Number (PIN) issued by their State  Animal Health Official (State Veterinarian in NV)

2. Writing an operation-specific enhanced biosecurity plan that can be implemented during an outbreak (go to your species-specific Food Supply Plan website, under the Producers Tab)

3. Developing contingency plans for periods of restricted animal movement  

4. Keeping movement records of animals, people, equipment, and other items on and off your operation (go to your species-specific Food Supply Plan website, under the Producers Tab)

5. Preparing to monitor for foot-and-mouth disease and being able to record observations (go to your species-specific Food Supply Plan website, under the Producers Tab)

For Producers:

• Secure Beef Supply Plan
• Secure Sheep and Wool Supply Plan
• Secure Milk Supply Plan
• Secure Pork Supply Plan
• Secure Poultry Supply Plan

Resources for all of the above can be found on the Center for Food Security and Public Health website: Secure Food Supply Plans

There are three major actions that all livestock operations should implement prior to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the U.S.: 

1. 1. Designate a biosecurity manager -  The biosecurity manager develops the biosecurity plan with assistance from a veterinarian PRIOR TO an outbreak
   2. Complete a written operation-specific enhanced biosecurity plan
   3. Establish a line of separation

All of the information needed to complete an enhanced biosecurity plan and/or update your existing plan to enhanced status can be found at the species-specific websites provided below. Although the information provided on enhanced biosecurity planning focuses on foot-and-mouth disease, once a plan is developed and implemented properly, it will help safeguard your operation against other potential foreign animal diseases, as well as diseases endemic to your location. It is better to prepare and prevent rather than repair and repent!