Agency: Agriculture

Line Item: Animal Health

Background

This line item was created by the 2013 Legislature by transferring some of the programs from the Administration line item.

Funding Detail

For more detail about a particular source of finance or organizational unit, click a linked entry in the left column of the table(s) below.

Program: Animal Health

Function

The aim of the Animal Health program is to maintain the disease free status and promote the marketability of Utah animals and to protect public health. This benefits the animals, the livestock industry, and the public. The program administers various state and federal cooperative disease control programs. It monitors animal imports to the state, reviews all Certificates of Veterinary Inspection, contracts with local veterinarians for inspections, and inspects aquaculture facilities, slaughter plants, brine shrimp plants, dog food plants, etc. A staff of veterinarians and professionally-trained inspectors carries out most of the work. Homeland security is a significant aspect of the program. The law further provides quarantine powers to the Commissioner to prevent the spread of contagious or infectious deceases.

Statutory Authority

The following chapters of UCA 4 govern operation of this program:

• Chapter 7, Agricultural Products and Livestock Dealers' Act
• Chapter 8, Agricultural Fair Trade Act
• Chapter 21, Beef Promotion
• Chapter 29, Diseases of Poultry
• Chapter 30, Livestock Markets
• Chapter 31, Livestock Inspection and Quarantine
• Chapter 32, Meat and Poultry
• Chapter 37, Aquaculture Act
• Chapter 39, Domesticated Elk Act

Performance

One of the responsibilities of the Animal Health Program is to train and certify veterinarians and their staff on how to recognize Trichomoniasis. This figure shows the number of veterinarians who were certified to take samples for Trichomoniasis.

Funding Detail

Program: Auction Market Veterinarians

Function

There are six auction markets held throughout the state. A veterinarian inspects all animals that pass through the market.

Funding Detail

Program: Brand Inspection

Function

The Brand Inspection program was established to keep to a minimum the loss of livestock through theft and stray. Loss prevention is accomplished through enforcement of the brand and estray laws (UCA 4-24 and 4-25) by field and auction inspectors who check all cattle and horses prior to sale, slaughter, or movement across state lines. The program also maintains a brand recording system so that ownership of animals can be readily determined through a master brand identification book. The brand book is published every five years.

This program is actively involved in tying the existing brand program to the new Animal Disease Traceability (ADT), where each livestock owner will be issued a premises I.D. number. This number was added to the brand card for easy reference as the system develops. ADT is a modern, streamlined information system that helps producers and animal health officials respond quickly and effectively to animal health events in the United States. The ADT program-a voluntary State-Federal-Industry partnership-is designed to:

1. Protect agriculture premises and producers' livelihoods;
2. Reduce hardships caused by an animal disease outbreak or other animal health events in the community; and
3. Protect access to agriculture markets.

In 1997 the Legislature gave this program responsibility of monitoring and regulating elk farming, and in 1999, private elk hunting. Livestock inspectors ensure animal identification, theft protection, genetic purity, and disease control. Domestic elk are now included in the department's definition of livestock.

Statutory Authority

The following chapters of UCA 4 govern operation of this program:

• Chapter 21, Beef Promotion
• Chapter 24, Utah Livestock Brand and Anti-theft Act
• Chapter 25, Estrays and Trespassing Animals
• Chapter 26, Dead Animals - Enclosures and Fences
• Chapter 39, Domestic Elk Act

Funding Detail

Program: Meat Inspection

Function

Utah's meat inspection system ensures that meat and poultry coming from state-inspected facilities is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged as required by state law (UCA 4-32) and federal law. The program inspects and regulates raw beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and turkey, as well as ready-to-eat and other processed products. Inspectors test for the presence of pathogens, toxins, drugs and chemical residues. Inspections are done before and after slaughter. Facilities are inspected for cleanliness and sanitation. According to the USDA, consumers spend one third of their annual food dollars on meat and poultry products.

Statutory Authority

UCA 4-32 "Utah Meat and Poultry Products Inspection and Licensing Act" governs operation of this program.

Funding Detail