ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Secure Sheep and Wool Supply Plan website continues to release new information for American sheep producers. The latest document available is the Premises Identification: What is Needed and How Is It Used? fact sheet.
National Premises Identification Number, Flock Identification Number, a Location Identifier or a scrapie premises ID – so many numbers – which one is needed for a foreign animal disease outbreak? Each identification type serves a different and important purpose, and the latest fact sheet offers a look at each type of identification and the purpose it serves.
For instance, the National Premises Identification Number is a unique national code that is permanently assigned to a single physical location. The PIN identifies the actual location of animals and can be used for tracing in the event of an animal health or food safety emergency. It is required for movement permits in an FMD or similar outbreak.
Even if you already have a scrapie premises ID, FIN or LID, you might still need a PIN. Why, you ask? PINs serve as a method of locating animals in a control area during an animal health emergency such as a foot and mouth disease outbreak. PINs – not scrapie premises IDs, LIDs or FINs – are required to request a movement permit during an FMD outbreak. A PIN is linked to the geospatial location reflecting the actual location of the animals on the premises. This includes a valid 911 address and a set of matching coordinates (latitude and longitude). PINs are an important part of traceability during an FMD outbreak, which is critical to outbreak management as well as regaining trade status for sheep and their products. If an FMD outbreak occurred in the United States and your flock was located in a control area, a PIN would be required for both the premises of origin and the premises of destination in order to request a movement permit for animals or their products.
The SSWS Plan website at SecureSheepWool.org – a cooperative effort of the American Sheep Industry Association and Iowa State University’s Center for Food Security and Public Health – is a valuable resource for producers. Just this year, a number of informative fact sheets have been posted on a wide range of topics, including:
- SSWS Overview one-page handout in Spanish (based on the English version)
- FMD Overview one-page handout in Spanish (based on the English version)
- Wool Handling During a Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak (one-page handout)
- Premises Identification – What is needed and how is it used? (one-page handout)
- Biosecurity Signs (3 signs/posters in both English and Spanish)
- USDA Training and Exercise Program, to be posted to the SSWS soon, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=0xgPRkOXtKQ&t=9s.
— American Sheep Industry Association