Getting a Permit
The permitting authority in a state will weigh the need for the movement against the potential risk of outbreak spread associated with the movement. If granted, the permit will provide approval for the specific movement outlined by the requestor. It may also define specific requirements to be met before the movement can happen. For Continuity of Business permits following the Secure Poultry Supply Plan, such specific conditions are outlined in the guidance for the product to be moved.
Once the permitting authority at the origin approves a permit, regulatory authorities at the proposed destination must also approve or deny the permit in order for it to be granted.
If a permit is approved, it means that permission has been granted for movement to happen but it does not track the actual movement. Tracking occurs at the time of the movement when the actual numbers of truckloads or cartons of the product to be moved are known and when movement started and when it ended are known and can be recorded.
Requesting a Permit
In order for the responsible regulatory official or the permitting authority to determine which and how movements happen, a producer or processor will need to answer several questions including:
What type of move is being requested?
This is the reason a permit is needed, e.g., for the movement of the product going to a farm, direct to landfill, into commerce, or direct to slaughter
Where will the movement start and end?
A producer will need to provide the national premises identification number (PIN) and physical latitude/longitude of the front gate where the product or animals are located and the site to which they will move.
Where will the movement start and end relative to a Control Area?
This indicates the origin/destination location with regard to the Control Area, e.g., Is the movement going into a Control Area, out of a Control Area, between Control Areas or moving within the same Control Area?
What will be moved?
This is a description of the specific item and class of animal or product that will be permitted and allowed to move, e.g., manure/litter, feed, eggs, groups of animals; species of animals also needs to be defined
Permitting is the mechanism by which managed movement occurs during a foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak, like highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). When movements are stopped to prevent disease spread, permits allow specific movements that are essential if certain criteria are met.
Types of permits in an FAD outbreak:
There are two types of permits:
Specific Permits
Specific permits are used for movements from Infected, Contact, and Suspect Premises which are under quarantine during an FAD outbreak.
Continuity of Business Permits
Continuity of business (COB) permits can happen from At-Risk or Monitored Premises. Most COB permits are for Secure Poultry Supply Plan movements but some normal movements with a non-negligible level of risk may be done under operational permits.
Note: While specific permits are rarely for interstate movements, COB permits may be for either intrastate or interstate movements.