On Guard Against Foot-and-Mouth Disease

The Department of Agricultures (USDA) National Food and Agriculture Council (NFAC) leads USDAs efforts to coordinate certain activities across mission areas and agency lines. The recent international outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) underscores the threat of foreign animal and plant diseases to Americas food safety and supply. The threat of FMD is, indeed, an interagency concern requiring cooperative involvement of many USDA agencies and its public and private sector partners.