Who is primarily responsible for overseeing foreign animal disease outbreak responses at the national level?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) is primarily responsible for overseeing foreign animal disease outbreak responses at the national level because it manages animal health and food safety. USDA/APHIS plays a critical role in monitoring animal diseases, implementing preventative measures, and coordinating responses to outbreaks to protect both animal health and the agricultural economy.

Given its national scope, USDA/APHIS is equipped to work on establishing protocols and policies that ensure a coordinated response to foreign animal diseases, which may pose significant risks to livestock populations and public health. This includes collaboration with state veterinarians and local agencies, but the overarching authority and resources for a national response reside with USDA/APHIS.

While state veterinarians play an important role in managing animal health within their jurisdictions and can respond effectively to localized outbreaks, their authority is limited to state boundaries. Local animal control agencies focus more on companion animals and urban wildlife rather than large-scale agricultural concerns. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) functions at an international level to promote animal health and welfare, but it does not directly manage national responses within countries. Therefore, the primary responsibility for national-level oversight of foreign animal disease outbreaks lies with USDA/APHIS.