About Premises Registration

Avian Influenza (AI), or “Bird Flu” as it has become known, is spreading throughout the world right now, from its beginnings in Asia it has spread through Africa and now Europe.  Experts say it is now only a matter of time before the disease that is fatal to animals, and has killed more than 100 people, enters the United States.

That inevitability is one reason behind the Vermont Agency of Agriculture’s efforts to implement a Premises Registration system.  Premises Registration is a process by which every farm with livestock registers its location and type of livestock with the state.  The Agency of Agriculture will use this information in the event of a disease outbreak as a means of containing the disease before it can spread.

“This is the best defense we have against a major disease outbreak,” Vermont State Veterinarian Dr. Kerry Rood said.  “If Bird Flu is found on a farm in Vermont, we need to know where that farm is, and what other farms are in the area so we can monitor and contain the disease quickly.”

Premises Registration is not Animal Identification.  Animal ID is a proposed U.S. Department of Agriculture program; one that Vermont officials do not feel is necessary.

“Many people believe Animal ID and Premises Registration are one and the same – nothing could be further from the truth,” Agriculture Secretary Steve Kerr said.  “Our goal is to be as unobtrusive as possible, while ensuring the safety of Vermont’s citizens and it’s livestock.  Premises Registration allows us to do that.”

The Premises Registration rules have recently been written in draft form.  Vermonters will have a chance to comment at a number of public meetings in the month of June, or by submitting comments to the Agency of Agriculture during June.

Some important facts about Premises Registration:

-Confidentiality:
Part of the data voluntarily submitted during the voluntary livestock premises registration process will be sent to a federal premises registration repository. The United States Department of Agriculture has reassured us that they intend to keep this information confidential. Regrettably, there is no statutory language passed yet that will ensure the data withstand a court challenge from denying public release of information.

-The program is free to all farmers, regardless of size.

-Livestock owners do not need to notify the government when their animals leave the farm (except when federal rules governing regular interstate shipment apply).

-The state cannot depend on lists of producers that are kept by livestock organizations.  While it is true that many Vermont livestock operations are identified because of the product they produce or sell, these systems lack uniformity.  There will just be no time in an animal health emergency to compare notes and hope all industry lists are complete.

-The database will be kept confidential and used only when there is an urgent need for the information, such as an outbreak of an animal disease.  The Agency of Agriculture will be the only state agency with access to the list.