Brucellosis; Procedures for Retaining Class Free State Status

We are amending the brucellosis regulations to allow a State to retain its Class Free status following the detection of an affected herd if the State meets certain conditions. These conditions, which include quarantining, testing, and depopulating the affected herd and conducting an investigation to ensure that brucellosis has not spread from the affected herd, will allow a State to avoid losing its Class Free status due to an isolated case of infection being detected in the State. We believe that providing this option to States will encourage the prompt resolution of isolated cases of brucellosis and thus ensure the continued progress of State and Federal efforts toward the eradication of brucellosis in domestic cattle and bison herds. Without this change in the regulations, a State could lose its Class Free status following the detection of a single affected herd and will not have as great an incentive to take swift and decisive action to determine the source of the infection, eliminate the affected herd, and ensure that the disease had not spread to other herds in the State.