CROSS-BORDER LIVESTOCK HEALTH

The Cross-Border Livestock Health Working Group meets each year for an annual conference at the PNWER Summit. This conference enhances relationships and network-building between U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions, exchanging information on animal health issues/concerns, developing a common understanding of disease policies, exchanging information on emergency response to emerging and foreign animal disease, advancing Canadian and American animal health interests, and identifying and executing action items to collectively address animal and cross-border issues. For more information, please visit www.cblhconference.com.

The conference is committed to: 

• Supporting livestock-based NAFTA Modernization and Regulatory Cooperation Council initiatives.
• Providing a forum for communication for stakeholder engagement.
• Tracking pilot project on e-certification in live cattle. Request specific criteria for system needs to fulfill data and security requirements from USDA and CFIA.
• Supporting animal welfare initiatives for the development of science-based guidelines/requirements. Promoting consistency of requirements for animals crossing international, state and provincial borders.
• Reevaluating past action item to include aspects of disease-prevention and detection as part of emerging animal disease.

2017 Action Items

Leadership

• Jill Harvie, Canadian Cattlemen's Association 
• Dr. Brad LeaMaster, State Veterinarian Oregon
• Ron Barker, Canadian Animal Health Coalition 
• Brandon Hardenbrook, PNWER

Contact information
brandon.hardenbrook@pnwer.org 
p: (206) 443-7723
f: (206) 443-7703

Resources
Summer 2017
Agenda
Action Items

Summer 2016
Agenda
Presentations
​Proceedings

Summer 2015
Action Items
Presentations
2012 Cross Border Livestock Health Working Group Action Items

Links
Washington Department of Agriculture
Montana Department of Agriculture
Idaho Department of Agriculture
Agriculture B.C.
Agriculture Alberta

2015-2016 Action Items

Action Item	Progress	Result / Next Step
Encourage the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to review their current Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) policy, with a focus on the re-entry requirements of Canadian horses from USA. Ensure that current science and recent policy changes in the USA are considered during the review.​	Drafted letter to CFIA	​
Send a letter to CFIA indicating PNWER’s support of Canadian Beef Breeds Council and Canadian Livestock Genetics Association request for CFIA to improve their permit process by ensuring permits are issued within a maximum of 7 days from the date of application.	Drafted letter to CFIA
Send a letter to USDA and CFIA indicating PNWER’s satisfaction with USDA’s progress on the Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS) project. As well, encourage CFIA to work closely with USDA to implement a complementary program in Canada.	VEHCS pilot in three PNWER border crossings in WA/BC, ID/BC and MT/AB began in early 2016