Secure Milk Supply (SMS) Plan for Continuity of Business

Abstract

Introduction The Secure Milk Supply (SMS) Plan provides a workable continuity of business (COB) plan for dairy premises with no evidence of foot and mouth disease (FMD) infection in a regulatory Control Area to move raw milk to processing that is credible to Responsible Regulatory Officials (local, state, tribal, and federal officials, as appropriate). Officials must balance the risks of allowing movement of raw milk against the risk of not allowing movement and thus the necessity for on farm disposal of raw milk. FMD is a highly contagious foreign animal disease that infects cattle and other cloven-hooved livestock, such as swine, sheep, goats, and deer. FMD is not a public health or food safety concern. FMD has been eradicated from the U.S. since 1929 but it is present in many other countries and causes severe production losses in animals.