National Equine Health Plan Update - Mr. R. J. Layher, Director of Health and Regulatory Affairs, American Horse Council, from the 2014 NIAA Annual Conference titled 'The Precautionary Principle: How Agriculture Will Thrive', March 31 - April 2, 2014, Omaha, NE, USA. More presentations at http://www.trufflemedia.com/agmedia/conference/2014_niaa_how_animal_agriculture_will_thrive

1. The National Equine Health Plan Update
Prepared for the National Institute of Animal Agriculture Annual Conference
Omaha, Nebraska: April 2014
By:
R.J. Layher
Director of Health & Regulatory Affairs
The American Horse Council

2. QUESTIONS?

3. History
• 2010 American Horse Council National Issues Forum
• The need for a comprehensive health plan to protect the industry.
• A coordinated effort between Federal and State Animal Health Officials, Veterinarians and Industry
• Key points to the NEHP were developed
• Protect the health and welfare of U.S. equine
• Establish the role of the industry, federal and state authorities and tribal governments in dealing with a
disease outbreak to minimize the impact on the horse community
• Facilitate the continued interstate and international movement of equine and their products
• Protect the continuity and economic viability of the equine industry

4. Goals
• Education
• Protecting the economic viability of the industry
• Raising awareness of common diseases and ways to mitigate them
• What to look for if a horse shows signs of a disease
• Teaching proper habits and practices in raising and caring for a horse from an early age
• Biosecurity
• Disease Mitigation
• Dr. Katie Flynn Biosecurity Tool-Kit
• Business Continuity
• Interstate and International Movement
• Potential for an outbreak to cause stagnation in horse movement
• Dissemination of Information
• Equine Disease Communication Center

5. Status
• Working on finalizing uniform guidelines and protocols with the industry
• Uniform guide lines for shows, farms, tracks, etc.
• Drafting tool kits and educational materials for industry use
• Identifying funding needs