209-01-21 Ark. Code R. § 8

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 7, July, 2024

Rule 209.01.21-008 - Feral Hog Airborne Eradication Rule

ARKANSAS SWINE RULE

DEFINITIONS

Commercial Production Swine: Swine for which a management plan has been approved by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture (Department).

Transitional Production Swine: Those swine that are captive or swine that have reasonable opportunities to be exposed to feral swine.

Commercial Commuter Agreement: Authorization from the Department to import hogs into Arkansas.

I. COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION SWINE MANAGEMENT PLANS

A. Commercial production swine management plans must adequately address biosecurity measures necessary to protect the herd form diseases and contact with other swine. The plan must include the following at a minimum:

1. Identification of the individual or individuals designated as biosecurity manager;

2. The frequency and types of training required for the biosecurity manager and essential personnel;

3. The plan for protection of the swine herd, including:

a) Site entry details, such as restrictions on entry points, entry point security measures, and signage;

b) Information about the location and any other details regarding designated parking areas;

c) The details and size of the Perimeter Buffer Area (PBA);

d) The rules for entry and access to PBA access point(s);

e) Information regarding the available cleaning and disinfection (C&D) station or stations;

f) The details and plans for lines of separation (LOS) to prevent the spread of virus to susceptible animals; and

g) The rules for entry and access to LOS access points.

4. The rules and plans for vehicles and equipment, including but not limited to:

a) Vehicles and equipment used for animal transport; and

b) Vehicles and equipment not used for animal transport.

5. Personnel rules, including but not limited to:

a) Rules for personnel prior to arriving at the site, including limitations on access, disinfection, and any other rules required of personnel prior to entry;

b) The plan for use of an entry logbook, including which individuals are required to log entry; and

c) Rules and details regarding the procedure for biosecure entry and exit of PBA or LOS.

6. Rules and biosecurity protocol for animal and semen movement;

7. Rules and biosecurity protocol for carcass disposal;

8. Rules and biosecurity protocol for control of rodent, fly, wildlife, and other animals; and

9. Rules and biosecurity protocol for management of feed.

B. More information on development of commercial production swine management plans may be provided on the Department's website.

C. Amendments to plans as a result of operational changes, etc. must be submitted to the Department for approval as they occur.

D. The Department will forward written approvals or disapprovals to plans within ten (10) working days after receipt.

E. Plan approvals will remain in effect as long as swine herd(s) continue to meet the requirements of commercial production operations.

II. IMPORT REQUIREMENTS

A. All commercial or Transitional production swine transported into Arkansas shall have an official premise identification, be individually identified, and accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection and permit number unless:

1. moved directly to slaughter and individually identified with an official ear tag; or

2. under a commercial commuter agreement approved by the Livestock and Poultry Division.

B. Breeding Swine

All breeding swine imported into Arkansas not under the authority of a commuter swine agreement must have an official premise identification, be individually identified, and accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection and permit number. Pseudorabies vaccinates may not enter. Testing requirements of all breeding swine not under the authority of a commuter swine agreement are as follows:

1. Brucellosis - All animals over six months of age must be tested negative within thirty (30) days prior to shipment; or originate directly from the farm of origin of a validated free herd;

2. Pseudorabies - All ages must be tested negative within thirty (30) days prior to shipment; or originate directly from the farm of origin of a pseudorabies qualified herd;

3. Retest. Retesting shall be performed as required under USDA laws and regulations.

C. Feeder Pigs

All feeder pigs not under the authority of a commuter swine agreement being imported into the state must have an official premise identification, be individually identified, be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection, and have a permit number. Pseudorabies vaccinates may not enter. Testing requirements and allowable movements of all feeder pigs not under the authority of a commuter swine agreement are as follows:

1. All animals over six months of age must be tested negative for brucellosis - within thirty (30) days prior to shipment;

2. All ages must be tested negative for pseudorabies within thirty (30) days prior to shipment;

3. That the swine enter on permit directly to a designated feedlot and not through an all-class market;

4. That the swine originate from an approved feeder-pig market or direct from a qualified-negative (QN) herd, or feeder-pig monitored (FPM) herd;

5. That the swine be quarantined to slaughter only;

6. That the designated feedlot has no breeding swine on the premises and no breeding herds within two (2) miles.

C. Entry for sale in Arkansas:

1. All swine entering Arkansas for sale shall be identified by an official premise identification and either:

a. be tested negative for pseudorabies and brucellosis within thirty (30) days prior to sale;

b. originate directly from a qualified-validated commercial production swine herd;

c. originate directly from a feeder-pig-monitored commercial production swine herd; or d. meet the requirements for an Arkansas Surveyed Herd.

2. Any swine entering Arkansas for sale that do not meet these requirements shall be:

a. individually identified;

b. isolated from all tested swine;

c. tested at the market at the owner's (seller's) expense; and

d. sold for slaughter only.

III. IN-STATE REQUIREMENTS

A. All swine undergoing a change of ownership or lease must be identified with an official premise identification by official eartag, tattoo, or other approved device prior to change of ownership or lease. Ear notches are not an official identification.

B. All breeding swine sold within the state must be tested negative for pseudorabies and brucellosis within thirty (30) days of sale or originate from a qualified validated commercial production swine herd. Breeding swine purchased and sampled at Arkansas markets will be quarantined to purchaser's premise until results of tests are known, or they may be quarantined to a feeding floor until slaughter. It is recommended that all swine purchased for breeding purposes be retested thirty to sixty (30-60) days after movement.

C. General requirements for change of ownership:

1. All swine forty (40) pounds or over entering a market must be identified with a premise identification on an official eartag or other approved device prior to unloading.

2. Eartags or other approved devices which contain a premise identification may be removed only at slaughter.

3. An Arkansas Surveyed Herd shall, based on an epidemiological risk assessment, be tested negative a maximum of once quarterly and a minimum of at least once yearly for pseudorabies and brucellosis at a rate of:

a. If less than thirty (30) pigs, test all;

b. If more than thirty (30) pigs, test a minimum of thirty (30) head.

4. All swine sold or leased within the state shall be tested negative for pseudorabies and brucellosis within thirty (30) days prior to sale, or originate directly from a qualified-validated herd, or originate directly from a feederpig-monitored herd, or have met the requirements for an Arkansas Surveyed Herd.

5. Any swine originating from an Arkansas farm entering a market for sale that do not meet these requirements shall be individually identified and quarantined to the farm of origin until the requirements for an Arkansas Surveyed Herd are met.

6. The State Veterinarian or designated epidemiologist may modify any testing rates based on epidemiological, safety, or disease status factors.

7. All testing for change of ownership, including Arkansas Surveyed Herds, may be done at the owner's expense by a private veterinary practitioner or by an agent of the State Veterinarian. It is the responsibility of both the seller and purchaser to see that the test is done.

8. The auction market or dealer shall maintain identification of all animals in each consignment sufficient to determine the herd of origin and the buyer(s) for all swine within the consignment. The market or dealer shall ensure that each consignment meets the testing requirements prior to release of any portion of the consignment from the premises of the market. Auction markets shall maintain records of all movements of swine going back to the farm to include identification numbers, number and kind, buyer and seller and their complete addresses.

9. Feeding swine sold directly to slaughter from the farm of origin shall be exempt from testing requirements if under the authority of a slaughter sale agreement approved by the State Veterinarian and shall be individually identified with an official ear tag.

IV. Testing and Handling of Quarantined and Other Epidemiologically Exposed Herds

The herd of origin of any pseudorabies or brucellosis reactors shall be immediately quarantined by handing the quarantine directly to the owner or by registered return receipt mail and shall be required to test within twenty-one (21) days of being quarantined. All swine in herds adjacent to the herd of origin that are within a two-(2) mile radius of the herd shall be quarantined. All trace forward recipient herds and all source herds shall also be quarantined based on epidemiological potential of infection. Each quarantined herd shall remain under quarantine until depopulated, or until negative test results are confirmed on all remaining animals in each herd. Release tests for all adjacent herds shall be performed at least thirty days after the reactors are removed from the herd of origin. All pseudorabies reactor herds shall be required to castrate all boars remaining in the herd and shall have a maximum of one-hundred-eighty (180) days to sell out for slaughter or undergo a mandatory depopulation. All swine brucellosis reactor herds shall be immediately depopulated. Any farm of origin of any depopulated herd or sell-out as the result of these diseases shall be disinfected and must remain free of swine for a minimum of thirty (30) days or up to a maximum of six months based on an epidemiological risk assessment before repopulating.

V. Feral Swine

The Commission may impose administrative penalties under Arkansas Code Annotated § 2-38-505 for the violation of any Arkansas law or Commission rule regarding feral hogs, as follows:

A. For an initial violation, the Commission may issue a warning letter and an administrative penalty not to exceed $500.00.

B. For any additional violations, the Commission may impose an administrative penalty not to exceed $5,000.00.

209.01.21 Ark. Code R. § 008

Adopted by Arkansas Register Volume MMXXI Number 12, Effective 12/3/2021