The Wash. Dept. of Agriculture (WSDA) has issued notice of their intent to amend rules related to animal disease reporting (WAC 16-70), regulated swine diseases (WAC 16-80), and sheep and goat diseases (WAC 16.89)
WAC 16-70, Animal Diseases – Reporting:
- Clarify reporting requirements for veterinarians and veterinary laboratories;
- Add diseases that are required to be reported by the World Organisation of Animal Health, Washington State Veterinarian, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Washington State Department of Health;
- Simplify reporting times from 24 hours, monthly, etc. to immediate reporting for veterinarians;
- Specify reporting times for laboratories;
- Specify the responsibility of veterinarians to report all diseases immediately that are listed in Table 1 of 16-70-020; and
- Revise language to increase clarity and readability.
WAC 16-80, Swine Diseases Regulated in Washington State:
- Change the title to reflect updated content in chapter;
- Update definitions consistent with other changes to the rules;
- Remove sections 16-80-009 and 010 as unnecessary;
- Clarify official USDA approved identification requirements and exemptions for swine;
- Require observations of feral swine to be reported to the Washington Invasive Species Council; and
- Adopting the definition of ‘Official USDA-approved identification’ in the most recent version of the USDA’s Code of Federal Regulations.
WAC 16-89, Sheep and Goat Diseases in Washington:
- Add the word “Individual” to the definition of Official Identification;
- Remove section 012, Quarantine as unnecessary;
- Adopt the most recent version of 9 CFR s 79.2 – Scrapie in Sheep and Goats, Identification and Records Requirements for Sheep and Goats in Interstate Commerce;
- Combine section 015 Scrapie program standards and section 022 Scrapie identification of sheep and goats;
- Add “individual” to official identification requirement for raw milk or raw milk products being sold; and
- Remove Q fever testing requirements for raw milk dairies.
As part of the rule-making process, public hearings will be held to collect testimony on the proposed amendments in the near future. The public hearings will be posted on our website and interested parties will be notified of those hearings. The most current information is also available on our website at www.agr.wa.gov/services/rulemaking.
If you have any questions or feedback, please contact Dr. Ben Smith, Assistant State Veterinarian, by email at [email protected], by phone at (509) 350-0081, or Jodi Jones, Operations Director, by email at [email protected], by phone at (360) 902-1889.
For a complete list of rulemaking activities at WSDA, please visit Rulemaking | Washington State Department of Agriculture
Posted 11/11/22