Scrapie Eradication Program in Vermont: What Sheep and Goat Owners Must Know
September 2, 2026
If you raise sheep or goats in Vermont, understanding the state’s scrapie eradication requirements is not optional — it is a legal obligation that directly affects your ability to market, move, and exhibit your animals. Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) disease affecting the central nervous system of sheep and goats. Vermont participates in the federal program designed to eliminate this disease entirely from U.S. flocks, and the state has put its own enforceable rules in place to stay in good standing with that program.
Whether you are a first-time flock owner or a longtime producer, the rules around identification, recordkeeping, animal movement, and flock certification apply to you. This guide walks you through every major requirement under Vermont’s scrapie eradication framework so you can stay compliant, protect your animals, and keep your marketing options open. You may also want to review goat ownership laws in Vermont for a broader look at how the state regulates goat keeping.
What Is Scrapie and Why It Is Regulated in Vermont
Scrapie is a degenerative and eventually fatal disease affecting the central nervous systems of sheep and goats, and it belongs to the family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). In addition to scrapie, TSEs include bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, chronic wasting disease in deer and elk, and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.
Control of scrapie is complicated because the disease has an extremely long incubation period without clinical signs of the disease. This makes identification and traceback critical — an animal can appear healthy while spreading the disease to flockmates. In the United States, scrapie has primarily been reported in the black-face meat breeds and their crosses.
Scrapie is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) affecting sheep and goats, and the presence of classical scrapie in the U.S. sheep and goat population affects the industry economically through production losses, lost exports, and increased production and disposal costs. While the disease poses no risk to the food supply, it thwarts international trade — Australia and New Zealand will not trade with the United States until its flocks are certified as scrapie-free.
The National Scrapie Eradication Program, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), has reduced the prevalence of scrapie in adult sheep sampled at slaughter by over 99 percent. Vermont’s regulations exist to sustain that progress and protect producers across the state from the economic and operational consequences of an outbreak. Vermont producers who keep other regulated animals should also be aware of related state oversight topics, such as venomous animals in Vermont and exotic pets legal in Vermont.
Vermont’s Role in the National Scrapie Eradication Program
The Animal Health Section of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets works closely with USDA to monitor for the presence of scrapie in Vermont’s sheep and goat flocks. As a result of this collaboration, Vermont has achieved Consistent status, which means that Vermont’s intrastate identification, reporting, and movement restrictions for infected and source flocks and high-risk animals are consistent with the USDA’s standards for State Scrapie programs.
In order to maintain this status, Vermont’s state and federal animal health officials must ensure that sheep and goats are appropriately identified. Consistent status is not automatic — it must be earned and maintained through ongoing compliance by both state officials and individual producers. Losing it would restrict Vermont producers’ ability to move animals across state lines.
The National Scrapie Eradication Program has two major components: a regulatory eradication program called the Accelerated Scrapie Eradication Program (ASEP) and a voluntary certification program called the Scrapie Flock Certification Program (SFCP). Vermont participates in both components, meaning producers in the state have access to both the mandatory baseline requirements and the optional certification pathway.
The Vermont State Veterinarian and Animal Health Section veterinarians and staff are responsible for protecting Vermont’s livestock herds and poultry flocks from the introduction and spread of foreign and domestic disease through a delegation of authority from the Vermont Secretary of Agriculture, with statutory authority found in 6 V.S.A. Chapter 102 — Control of Contagious Livestock Diseases. State and federal regulatory disease programs have been developed in order to implement this responsibility, and the Animal Health Section works closely with USDA APHIS’s Region 1 office to provide technical assistance, inspection, and prudent enforcement related to these programs.
Official Animal Identification Requirements in Vermont
Vermont’s identification rules are among the most important compliance obligations you face as a sheep or goat owner. A person who presents a goat or sheep at an exhibition, show, or fair shall provide for the goat or sheep official scrapie identification to its flock of birth. A person who transfers ownership of a goat or sheep within Vermont shall provide for the goat or sheep official scrapie identification to its flock of birth.
Goats and sheep born prior to the adoption of the rule will be required to be identified with official scrapie identification to their current flock, if flock of birth is unknown. This provision ensures that even older animals without a traceable birth flock are still brought into the identification system.
Slaughter channels have specific carve-outs. Sheep less than 18 months of age in slaughter channels and all goats in slaughter channels are not required to be identified, but sheep greater than 18 months of age in slaughter channels are required to be identified with official scrapie identification.
Approved Forms of Official Identification
Eartags and devices approved for the official identification of sheep and goats in interstate commerce include several formats recognized under the national program. The following are the primary approved identification types:
- Official eartags — Plastic flock ID tags or metal serial tags bearing the state postal abbreviation and a unique animal number
- Registry tattoos — The Code of Federal Regulations part 79.2 and the National Scrapie Eradication Program Standards allow sheep and goats to be officially identified with registry tattoos for movement in interstate commerce with some exceptions.
- Electronic implant devices (microchips) — There are restrictions on the use of implantable devices; refer to the National Scrapie Eradication Program Standards for details. Vermont also has its own guidance document on requirements for using electronic implant devices in registered sheep and goats as official identification.
The National Scrapie Eradication Program is providing up to 100 plastic flock ID tags free of charge to first-time participants in the sheep and goat identification program until available funds are expended. Flock ID tag numbers are the producer’s flock ID assigned by APHIS or the State, followed by an individual animal number.
Some states have identification requirements that are stricter than federal requirements, so the exceptions listed under federal rules do not apply in all states. Always verify Vermont-specific requirements with the state Animal Health Office rather than relying solely on federal guidance.
Flock Registration and Recordkeeping Requirements in Vermont
Proper recordkeeping is just as important as physical identification. Without accurate records, traceback investigations after a positive scrapie finding become difficult or impossible — and that can trigger broader quarantine actions affecting your entire operation.
Flock and Premises Identification Numbers
A flock identification (ID) number is a nationally unique number assigned by a State, federally recognized Tribal, or Federal animal health authority to a group of animals that are managed as a unit on one or more premises and are under the same ownership. The flock ID number must be recorded in and linked to one or more premises identification numbers (PINs) in the National Scrapie Database. Flock IDs may be used with an animal number unique within the flock to provide a unique official identification number for an animal, or may be used with the date and a sequence number to provide a group/lot identification number (GIN) for a group of animals when group identification is permitted.
Premises identification is a key component of animal disease traceability. The number links livestock and poultry locations to a national database for better management of emergencies and livestock traceability. You can obtain a premises registration application through the Vermont Agency of Agriculture’s Animal Health Section.
Dealer and Handler Recordkeeping
Livestock dealers and slaughter plants shall record the official scrapie identification numbers of the goats and sheep that they handle, including the date, name, and address from whom acquired and to whom delivered. This chain-of-custody record is essential for any traceback investigation.
All business records relating to sheep and goat movements must be maintained for at least five years after the person has sold or otherwise disposed of the sheep or goat, and be available for inspection and copying at any reasonable time by any authorized agent of the secretary. This five-year retention requirement applies to dealers, markets, and individual producers alike.
Interstate and Intrastate Movement Rules for Sheep and Goats in Vermont
Movement rules in Vermont apply in two directions: animals coming into Vermont from other states, and animals leaving Vermont for other states. Both directions carry compliance obligations, and the rules differ depending on the purpose of the move.
Importing Animals Into Vermont
The Animal Health Section of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets closely regulates the movement of livestock into and out of Vermont. Through this close oversight, Animal Health Section personnel help to prevent the introduction and spread of domestic and foreign animal diseases that could be devastating to Vermont’s livestock agricultural industry.
The interstate movement requirements that must be met are dictated by the species, age, and sex of the animal, as well as the purpose for its transport into Vermont or the state of destination. In most cases, livestock imported into Vermont must be officially identified, travel with a health certificate dated within 30 days of import, and must travel with an import permit number obtained from the Animal Health Office prior to transport.
Prior to importing a livestock animal into Vermont, review Vermont’s import regulations to ensure you are compliant and have your veterinarian contact the Animal Health Office to obtain an import permit if applicable. You can reach the Animal Health Office at (802) 828-2421 to initiate this process before your animals are transported.
Moving Animals Out of Vermont
In September 2001, the scrapie regulations were revised to require the official identification of sheep and goats not in slaughter channels (except low-risk commercial goats) and any sheep over 18 months of age in interstate commerce with some exceptions. In addition, the revision required states to implement and enforce official identification of most sheep and goats on change of ownership intrastate in order to move sheep and goats interstate with minimal restrictions.
Vermont’s Consistent status means that producers who comply with Vermont’s intrastate identification requirements gain the benefit of being able to move animals interstate with fewer additional restrictions. Producers who are not in compliance may face additional scrutiny or movement limitations when crossing state lines.
Intrastate Movement Requirements
Vermont’s intrastate rules are notably broad. Any person who presents a sheep or goat at an exhibition, show, or fair must provide for the animal official scrapie identification to its flock of birth. Additionally, any person who transfers ownership of a sheep or goat within Vermont, or who moves off of the farm of origin for any reason, must adhere to the same identification requirement.
| Movement Type | Official ID Required? | Health Certificate Required? | Import Permit Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intrastate sale or transfer (Vermont to Vermont) | Yes — to flock of birth | No | No |
| Exhibition, show, or fair within Vermont | Yes — to flock of birth | No | No |
| Interstate movement (breeding/non-slaughter) | Yes — official ID required | Yes — within 30 days | Yes — prior to transport |
| Slaughter channel (sheep under 18 months) | No | Varies | Varies |
| Slaughter channel (sheep over 18 months) | Yes | Varies | Varies |
| Slaughter channel (all goats) | No | Varies | Varies |
For a broader understanding of how Vermont regulates animal ownership and movement, see the state’s rules on roadkill laws in Vermont and whether it is legal to own a raccoon in Vermont, which reflect the state’s detailed approach to animal regulation across many species.
Reporting, Testing, and Quarantine Requirements in Vermont
When a sheep or goat shows signs consistent with scrapie, Vermont producers have both a legal obligation to report and a structured pathway for getting the animal tested. Acting quickly is essential — delayed reporting can lead to broader flock exposure and more extensive quarantine measures.
Recognizing Clinical Signs
Under Vermont’s rules, a suspect animal is one that exhibits specific observable signs. An animal will be designated a suspect animal if it is a sheep or goat that exhibits any of the following possible signs of scrapie and that has been determined to be suspicious for scrapie by an accredited veterinarian: weight loss despite retention of appetite; behavioral abnormalities; pruritis (itching); wool pulling; biting at legs or side; lip smacking; motor abnormalities such as incoordination, high-stepping gait of forelimbs, bunny hop movements of rear legs, or swaying of back end; increased sensitivity to noise and sudden movement; tremor, star gazing, head pressing, recumbency, or other signs of neurological disease or chronic wasting.
How to Report and Get Animals Tested
To report a sheep or goat with clinical signs of scrapie, contact your local Veterinary Services (VS) office or State Veterinarian’s office. APHIS may pay indemnity for adult sheep or goats with neurological or other signs that are determined to be consistent with scrapie. Alternatively, an APHIS veterinarian could provide live-animal scrapie testing for these animals.
The official test currently used for scrapie diagnosis in the United States is immunohistochemistry. Histopathology, Western Blot, and ELISA may be used as supplemental tests or when tissues are not suitable for immunohistochemistry. Third-eyelid and rectal lymphoid tissue biopsy are APHIS-approved tests for scrapie detection in live animals.
APHIS will pay for scrapie testing of up to 30 animals per flock per year. Producers may remove and submit whole heads or report deceased sheep or goats and ask for help with submitting samples. This testing support reduces the financial barrier to surveillance participation.
On-Farm Mortality Surveillance
In order to declare the U.S. “scrapie free,” USDA must be able to prove that testing has been conducted in all sheep and goat populations. This is why submission of samples from sheep and goats over 18 months of age found dead or euthanized on your farm is extremely important. Vermont producers who submit samples from on-farm mortalities contribute directly to the national surveillance effort.
Quarantine and Flock Designation
Flocks or animals with scrapie disease, or having been exposed to it, will be subjected to methods of control set forth in the scrapie uniform methods and rules (UMR). Vermont’s rules define exposed animals in detail to ensure that all animals at risk of having contracted the disease are identified and managed appropriately.
An exposed animal includes: any animal that has been in the same flock at the same time as a scrapie-positive female animal; any animal born in a flock after a scrapie-positive animal was born into or lambed in that flock before the flock completes a flock plan; or any animal that was commingled with a scrapie-positive female animal during or up to 30 days after she lambed, kidded, or aborted.
APHIS provides assistance to owners of exposed and infected flocks or herds that participate in cleanup plans, including indemnity for high-risk, suspect, and scrapie-positive sheep and exposed goats that owners agree to destroy, and genetic testing of sheep for scrapie susceptibility.
Scrapie Free Flock Certification Program (SFCP) in Vermont
Beyond the mandatory baseline requirements, Vermont producers can choose to participate in the Scrapie Free Flock Certification Program (SFCP). This voluntary program offers significant marketing advantages and contributes to the broader national goal of achieving scrapie-free status.
Program Overview and Eligibility
The SFCP is a voluntary program that is open to all sheep and goat producers in the United States. The overall objective of the SFCP is to minimize the scrapie risk of participating flocks and herds, thereby improving the marketability of animals from participating flocks and herds and contributing to the national scrapie eradication program.
SFCP tags may only be purchased by owners of flocks participating in the Scrapie-Free Flock Certification Program. Regular program tags may be purchased by any producer who has a flock or premises ID. This distinction is important — SFCP participation comes with its own identification requirements separate from the standard program.
SFCP Categories and Statuses
The SFCP has two categories: Export and Select. The Export category has two statuses — Export Monitored and Export Certified — and the Select category has one status: Select Monitored. Each status level reflects a different degree of demonstrated disease freedom and carries different movement and marketing benefits.
| SFCP Category | Status Options | Primary Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Export | Export Monitored / Export Certified | Certifies flock as scrapie-free; supports international trade eligibility |
| Select | Select Monitored | Demonstrates reduced scrapie risk; improves domestic marketability |
Export Category Requirements
The objective of the Export category is to certify participating flocks and herds as scrapie-free establishments through limiting the acquisition of does and ewes from flocks of the same or higher status, annual inspections including reconciliation of the animal inventory, official individual animal identification requirements, recordkeeping requirements, and animal sampling requirements.
Biosecurity Practices That Support SFCP Participation
The only absolute way to prevent an introduction of scrapie into a flock is to prohibit all movements of sheep and goats into a flock. Until a more sensitive, cost-effective live-animal test is available, the risk can be substantially reduced by maintaining a closed ewe flock; by acquiring female animals only from certified free flocks, zones, or countries; and/or by acquiring ewes that are genetically resistant or less susceptible.
Approximately 30 percent of U.S. sheep are genetically susceptible to scrapie. Some animals have been bred to be genetically resistant to the disease. Because scrapie persists in the environment for years, owners of previously infected flocks should restock with rams that are resistant and ewes of resistant or less susceptible genotypes.
How Accredited Veterinarians Support the Program
When requested by the producer, accredited veterinarians can apply official eartags, collect and submit samples for official genotype testing, scrapie testing on obex, lymph node, third-eyelid lymphoid tissue, or rectal lymphoid tissue, and issue Certificates of Veterinary Inspection for interstate movement. Additionally, accredited veterinarians play a very important role in educating producers about the disease and in assisting producers with the prevention and elimination of scrapie.
Staying current with Vermont’s animal health regulations protects not just your flock but the broader agricultural community. Related state regulations worth knowing include hedgehog ownership laws in Vermont and pit bull laws in Vermont, which show how Vermont applies specific rules to different animal categories. Vermont’s natural environment also presents its own biosecurity considerations — producers should be aware of tick season in Vermont and stinging insects in Vermont when managing outdoor livestock operations.
If you have questions about Vermont’s scrapie eradication requirements, contact the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets Animal Health Office at (802) 828-2421, or reach USDA APHIS through the national scrapie tag line at the APHIS scrapie program page. Staying informed and staying compliant is the most effective way to protect your animals, your operation, and Vermont’s standing in the national eradication effort.