Oct 7 -- USDA invites comments to OMB by November 14, 2022 regarding the National Animal Health Reporting System (NAHRS).
The Animal Health Protection Act (AHPA) of 2002 is the primary Federal law governing the protection of animal health. The law gives the Secretary of Agriculture broad authority to detect, control, or eradicate pests or diseases of livestock or poultry. The Secretary may also prohibit or restrict import or export of any animal or related material if necessary to prevent the spread of any livestock or poultry pest or disease. The AHPA is contained in Title X, Subtitle E, Sections 10401-18 of Public Law 107-171, May 13, 2002, of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. Disease prevention is the most effective method for maintaining a healthy animal population and enhancing the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services' (VS) ability to allow U.S. animal producers to compete in the world market of animal and animal product trade. In connection with this mission, APHIS operates NAHRS, which collects, on a national basis, data on the prevalence of important livestock and poultry diseases within the United States.
The NAHRS collects data monthly from State veterinarians on the presence or absence of specific diseases of interest to the World Organization for Animal Health (Office International des Epizooties) (OIE). As a member country of the OIE, the United States is required to submit reports on the status of certain diseases notifiable to the OIE. Reportable diseases are diseases that have the potential for rapid spread, irrespective of national borders, that are of serious socio-economic or public health consequence and that are of major importance in the international trade of animals and animal products. The potential benefits to trade as a result of the NAHRS include accurate reporting on the health status of the U.S. livestock industry, improved and expanded animal disease reporting infrastructure, expansion of livestock industries into new export markets, and preservation of existing markets through increased confidence in quality and disease freedom of U.S. livestock. This data collection is unique in terms of the type, quantity, and frequency of data; no other entity is collecting and reporting this type of data on the health status of U.S. livestock to the OIE.
On a monthly basis, each State animal health official (State Veterinarian) completes and submits this report to APHIS. The form collects primarily qualitative data (i.e., yes / no responses on disease presence) from States on the confirmed presence or absence of diseases which are based on test results and confirmed observational data. A “yes” response from the State indicates that at least one new case of disease was confirmed during a specific month. A “no” response indicates that no new confirmed cases of the disease were confirmed in the State during the specific month.
The form is divided into 11 sections: Bovine, Cervids, Caprine and Ovine, Equine, Porcine, Avian, Lagomorph (Rabbits and Hares), Other Diseases, Bee (optional reporting), Aquaculture, and Amphibian diseases.
NAHRS webpage:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/monitoring-and-surveillance/SA_Disease_Reporting
NAHRS submission to OMB:
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202210-0579-001 Click IC List for data collection instruments, View Supporting Statement for newly added technical documentation. Submit comments through this webpage. [Comments due 30 days after submission, i.e., Nov 14]
FRN:
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-21879
For AEA members wishing to submit comments, "A Primer on How to Respond to Calls for Comment on Federal Data Collections" is available at
https://www.aeaweb.org/content/file?id=5806