Disclaimer:

The University of Vermont assumes no responsibility for the content of the Web sites listed within. Note that endorsement of products or companies is not intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

Vermont Emergency Plans
Biosecurity, Bioterrorism, and Disaster Planning
Waste Management and Composting
Health and Disease
Resources for Best Management Practices

Note: Some of the following resources link to PDF files which require Adobe Acrobat Reader to open.

Vermont Emergency Plans

State of Vermont Emergency Operations Plan
A state-level integrated emergency management manual designed to describe the Vermont emergency disaster response and serve as a central information source in all phases of comprehensive emergency management. See SSF Annex 11, Agriculture and Natural Resources (PDF) and SSF Annex 11 Tab D, Animal Disaster Emergency Plan (PDF) for agriculture and animal specific information.

Procedure Addressing Disposal of Dead Animals
From the Solid Waste Management Division, Department of Environmental Conservation, State of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.

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Biosecurity, Bioterrorism, and Disaster Planning

Biological Threat Agents Information Page
The Federation of American Scientists' list of links to organizations that describe potential bacterial and viral threat agents, indicators of a biological attack, and what to do in such an event.

Biosecurity and On-Farm Food Safety
Penn State's Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences information on biosecurity, including documents and risk assessment tables.

Bovine Alliance on Management and Nutrition (BAMN) Biosecurity Publications:

• Biosecurity of Dairy Farm Feedstuffs
• Biosecurity Risk Assessment on Dairies
• A Guide to Colostrum and Colostrum Management for Dairy Cows
• Handling Foreign Animal Diseases in Cattle
• An Introduction to Infectious Disease Control on Farms (Biosecurity)

eXtension—Agrosecurity and Floods
An eXtension resource area including information on Agrosecurity, Floods, and Avian Influenza.

Biosecurity Program and Farm Emergency Planning Template
Information on biosecurity and emergency planning from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources—Division of Animal Health.

National Farm Animal Identification & Records (FAIR)
A national animal identification and traceability database maintained by the Holstein Association USA, based in Brattleboro, Vermont.

Humane Society of the United States Disaster Preparedness Brochures for livestock, horses, and pets.

Resources from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA):

• Animal Disease Traceability—USDA APHIS' framework for animal disease traceability in the US.
• Emergency Response: Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Other Foreign Animal Diseases fact sheet.
• National Center for Animal Health Emergency Management (NCAHEM)
• Animal Health Programs: Combining Surveillance, Detection, and Response publication.
• Homeland Security—Information, guides, and lists of federal and state agencies.
• Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)—Provides information on food safety and defense, including sections on Food Defense & Emergency Response, Food Safety Education, Regulations & Policies, and Science. Also includes contact information for the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, which answers questions about the safe storage, handling, and preparation of meat, poultry, and egg products.
• "Cleaning and Disinfection of Premises" (PDF)—Comprehensive information about cleaning and disinfection after the occurrence of a natural disaster or infectious disease.

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Waste Management / Composting

Resources from the Cornell Waste Management Institute, a program in Cornell University's Department of Crop and Soil Sciences that serves the public through research, outreach, training, and technical assistance, with a focus on organic residuals:

• Natural Rendering: Composting Livestock Mortality and Butcher Waste fact sheet
• Natural Rendering: Composting Poultry Mortality fact sheet
• Natural Rendering: Composting Livestock Mortality and Butcher Waste video. Describes mortality and butcher residual composting featuring eight operations.
• Farm-Based Composting: Manure and More video. Highlights 14 farm operations and six different composting technologies.

Emergency Livestock Mortality Composting in Iowa
From Iowa State University.

Natural Rendering Web Site
By Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, provides links to resources and shows pictures of the mortality composting process.

Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES), an interdisciplinary, issue-oriented program sponsored by the cooperative extension of eleven member land grant universities, publishes books and videos on Large-Scale Composting, Agricultural Waste Management, and other agricultural and environmental topics.

Resources from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS):

• Composting Guide—Covers manure and mortality composting.
• Animal Mortality Facility practice standard

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Health and Disease

American Veterinary Medical Association
For resources on public health topics, biosecurity resources, updates, and information on disaster preparedness.

California Poultry Biosecurity Resource Center
Information from the California Poultry Federation.

Center for Food Security & Public Health
Includes information on animal diseases, zoonotic diseases (including illustrated documents on zoonoses transmission routes, definitions, and prevention), infection control, and emergency response.

The Merck Veterinary Manual
Online animal health reference.

Resources for Organic Dairy Farmers
Information on health, forage, parasite management, and other topics from the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance.

Communicable Diseases Between Animals and People
Powerpoint presentation by Bhushan Jayarao, Pennsylvania State University Department of Veterinary Science.

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Resources for Best Management Practices

A lot of biosecurity is simply good management. Some helpful resources on best management practices are listed below:

Accepted Agricultural Practices (AAPs)
From the Vermont Agency of Agriculture—Division of Agricultural Resource Management and Environmental Stewardship (ARMES)

Dairy Animal Care and Quality Assurance Certification Manual 2009
Released by DACQA, this publication gives an overview of guidelines set by the DACQA. These include animal care, feed regulation, and vaccination programs.

eXtension—Dairy
An eXtension resource covering topics such as Calf and Heifer Management, Facilities, Food Safety, Health and Diseases, and Mastitis and Milking Management.

Guide For the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching, Federation of Animal Science Societies, Third Edition, January 2010
For guidelines on feed bunk and water trough length per cow, ventilation, lighting, and many other aspects of livestock husbandry, the "Ag Animal Research Guide" is the gold standard for ensuring animal welfare. Published by the Federation of Animal Science Societies.

Midwest Plan Service
Publisher of useful guides for facility design and other aspects of farm management.

National Dairy FARM Animal Care Manual
Manual published by the National Dairy FARM Program: Farmers Assuring Responsible Management™ details best management practices in animal care for the dairy industry.

Resource Guide for Vermont's New and Aspiring Farmers
From the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets.

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