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The concept of traceability performance standards goes along with the basic principle of an outcome-based regulation. Performance standards describe a desired result or outcome, but not the methods for achieving the result or outcome. They provide a process to evaluate tracing capabilities uniformly across the States. The USDA regulations will require States to meet certain traceability performance standards.
In measuring national tracing capability, USDA will consider whether animals that are part of a disease investigation and required to be officially identified to move interstate can be traced from the State of origin to the State of destination within a certain timeframe during a disease investigation. The percent success and the time allowed to achieve the percent success will change with time and national experience.
USDA has identified four measurements to evaluate the interstate movement tracing capability of States. The first performance standard measures the time required for the State of destination to notify the State in which the trace-animals were officially identified. Since this is already a relatively simple process, USDA recommends that it should be accomplished 95 percent of the time within 1 business day.
The second performance standard measures the time required for the State of tag origin to validate the application and/or issuance of the trace-animal numbers for which they were notified (in performance standard 1). This can be accomplished using distribution records that contain contact information for the business or operation to which the numbers were issued. USDA recommends this process be phased in to provide achievable standards in the short term and higher standards in the long term. Currently, the records of tags applied are in paper-based systems that may take more time to research than electronic databases. When the performance standards are first evaluated, the activity should be accomplished 75 percent of the time within 5 business days. As official identification records become easier to search, the time required to find the origin of an identification device will decrease. At that time, the activity should be accomplished 95 percent of the time within 2 business days.
The third performance standard measures the time required for the State of destination to notify the State from which the trace-animals were shipped. USDA also recommended this standard be phased in. Initially, the activity should be accomplished 95 percent of the time within 7 business days. As traceability systems mature, the activity should be accomplished 95 percent of the time within 3 business days. Increasing the use of electronic Interstate Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI) will make achieving this performance standard easier.
The fourth performance standard measures the time required for the State of origin to validate the movement of the trace-animals for which they were notified (in performance standard 3) from their State to the State of destination. This can be accomplished using required ICVI information, which includes the location where the inspection by an accredited veterinarian takes place and the location to which the animals are moved interstate. A movement permit or other document may be used when the equivalent information reflecting the shipped from location and location of destination are able to be determined. The USDA also recommended that this standard progress over time. Initially, the activity should be accomplished 75 percent of the time within 5 business days. As the system matures, the activity should be accomplished 95 percent of the time within 2 business days.
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