Jefferson County Farm & Livestock

Biosecurity

Biosecurity, the practice of protecting farm animals from disease, has become a major concern with the worldwide threat of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and other diseases. Effective biosecurity requires several components including isolation, traffic control, and sanitation that aim to reduce exposure to bacteria, viruses and other organisms that may infect animals with disease. West Virginia has biosecurity regulations and guidelines to follow to help insure the spread of disease stays as minimal as possible.

Scrapie Tag

The National Scrapie Eradication Program provides free metal ear tags for sheep and goat producers. Prior to October 1, 2017, the program also provided plastic tags and applicators. Producers also have an option to purchase their own official ear tags/devices from  USDA approved tag companies.

USDA Premise ID

The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) program is intended to identify animals and track them as they come into contact with, or commingle with, animals other than herd mates from their premises of origin. The system is being developed for all animals that will benefit from rapid tracebacks in the event of a disease concern. Currently, working groups comprised of industry and government representatives are developing plans for cattle, swine, sheep, goats, horses, poultry, bison, deer, elk, llamas, and alpacas.

To achieve this goal in cooperation with the USDA, we ask all West Virginia farms/producers of livestock to fill out a premise/farm identification form.

Premise Identification Form 

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In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs).
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