To: ANR Educators

From: Steve Cain

Date: February 10, 2003

I received notice from USDA/CSREES this morning that the Emergency Management Orange Level Notice that was issued Friday resulted in some notice for farm animal biosecurity. The key points are to treat any foreign animal disease (FAD) threat seriously until proven otherwise.

I spoke with representatives from the Indiana Board of Animal Health and the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory this morning (Monday, February 10, 2003).  BOAH suggests that IF YOU ARE CALLED TO INVESTIGATE AN ANIMAL BIOSECURITY THREAT ON A FARM that you treat it seriously and advise the producer to practice good biosecurity which includes:

1) Do not move any animals.

2) Minimize contact between humans and animals (and where animals frequent) until the situation can be assessed.

If you receive an FAD threat, you should call one of the following:

Indiana Board of Animal Health - 317-227-0300

After hours, leave a message, and you should receive a call back.

APHIS Area Veterinary in Charge for Vet Service - 317-290-3300

Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue - 765-494-7440

While this is standard operating procedure, I will soon put this notice and other updates on the Purdue EDEN website: www2.ces.purdue.edu/eden Click on Biosecurity/ Terrorism.

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FROM: USDA/CSREES

Subject: Emergency Management Notice 1: Nation's Security Level Raised to

Orange (High Risk)

The Department of Justice increased the Nation's terrorist threat

assessment level to "orange" (high risk) today, February 7, 2003.

As a result of today's increased security level, foreign animal disease

(FAD) surveillance should be increased nationwide.  No potential FAD cases

should be disregarded.  Potential hoaxes should be treated as suspect

incursions of FAD's until proven otherwise.  Specific attention should be

directed at livestock and poultry concentration points.

Investigators and laboratory personnel should implement an appropriate

level of personal protection when examining animals, carcasses, and

submitted samples until potentially zoonotic diseases can be ruled out.

Physical security on farms, livestock concentration points, and quarantine

stations should be heightened.  Limited animal movements and farm contacts

should be kept to essential people for continued operations.

All State-level Area Command Centers, not already running full-scale,

should be activated at a minimum level.

This need for increased surveillance and reporting should be communicated

to all facilities and personnel of the national

animal disease monitoring network.  Early detection remains the key to

minimizing the impact of such a disease introduction.

If you have any questions, please contact USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services,

Emergency Programs at 301-734-8073, 800-940-6524, or EMOC@APHIS.USDA.GOV.

Please forward this information to other Federal, State, and industry

counterparts as necessary.

-----definitions---------

Emergency Management Issue is for information with no impact on APHIS

Emergency Management Notice is an ongoing incident with potential impact on

APHIS

Emergency Management Warning is an ongoing incident with almost certain

impact on APHIS