Illinois Scrapie Eradication Program: Rules Every Sheep and Goat Producer Must Know
August 2, 2026
If you raise sheep or goats in Illinois, scrapie regulations are not optional reading — they are a legal obligation that applies from the moment you own your first animal. Scrapie is a fatal neurological disease with no cure, and the state’s participation in the federal eradication effort means producers face specific identification, recordkeeping, and movement rules that go beyond what many other states require.
This guide walks you through every major component of the Scrapie Eradication Program in Illinois, from understanding the disease itself to earning Scrapie-Free Flock Certification. Whether you are a first-time sheep owner or an experienced goat producer, knowing these requirements protects your operation and supports the national push to eliminate scrapie entirely from U.S. flocks.
What Is Scrapie and Why It Is Regulated in Illinois
Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative TSE disease affecting the central nervous system of sheep and goats. It is among a number of diseases classified as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE). Understanding what makes this disease so serious — and so heavily regulated — is the first step in complying with Illinois law.
The disease is believed to be caused by an abnormal protein known as a prion, which acts as the infectious and contagious agent. Scrapie is likely spread from mother to offspring and/or other herd or flock members through contact with afterbirth. It can take two to five years for an animal to show signs of disease, and current diagnostic tests require brain or lymphoid tissue.
Sheep or goats infected with the disease may exhibit behavioral changes, hyper-excitability, a high-stepping gait, and intense pruritus. These signs progress until the animal dies. There is currently no treatment or cure for scrapie.
The presence of scrapie in the United States also prevents the export of breeding stock, semen, and embryos to many other countries. That economic reality — combined with the disease’s slow incubation and silent spread — is precisely why Illinois, like all 50 states, participates in a structured federal eradication program.
In the United States, scrapie has primarily been reported in the black-face meat breeds and their crosses. However, all breeds of sheep and goats are subject to program requirements, and Illinois producers should not assume their specific animals are exempt based on breed alone. Illinois is also home to a wide range of regulated and monitored animal species, and sheep and goats receive particular attention under state and federal agricultural law.
Illinois’s Role in the National Scrapie Eradication Program
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). Illinois participates fully in both.
Illinois maintains a “Consistent State” status with the National Scrapie Eradication Program. This designation is significant: it means Illinois has demonstrated it meets federal standards for running an active scrapie control program, and it grants Illinois producers the ability to move sheep and goats interstate with fewer restrictions than producers from non-consistent states would face.
The National Scrapie Eradication Program (NSEP), a cooperative State-Federal-industry program, is working to eradicate classical scrapie from the United States and meet World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) criteria for disease freedom. To date, the program has eliminated scrapie in 99 percent of U.S. sheep and goats.
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) works alongside USDA APHIS Veterinary Services to enforce program requirements at the state level. Producers may obtain a flock identification and official scrapie tags by contacting the USDA APHIS Veterinary Services Illinois District Office at (217) 547-6030.
The National Scrapie Eradication Program consists of the following components: identification and detection of infected sheep or goats through nationwide slaughter surveillance; tracing of infected animals to their flock of origin; quarantine and testing of exposed animals sold from an infected source flock or herd; and voluntary genetic testing of sheep to determine susceptibility to scrapie.
Official Animal Identification Requirements in Illinois
Illinois has stricter identification requirements than the federal baseline, and producers must understand exactly which animals need official ID and what forms that ID can take.
As part of the program, anyone who owns, buys, or sells sheep or goats in Illinois is required to have a flock identification number (Flock ID). In addition, all sheep and goats used for breeding, exhibition, or over 18 months of age must be officially identified when leaving the farm and prior to being commingled with other animals.
Illinois goes further than the federal baseline for goats as well. All intact goats of all ages, and wethers over 18 months of age, require official individual animal identification. For sheep, all intact sheep of all ages, and wethers over 18 months of age, require official individual animal identification.
Notably, the definition of a low-risk commercial goat excludes goats that reside in Illinois — meaning the low-risk commercial goat exemption that applies in many other states does not apply here. Every intact goat in Illinois, regardless of its use, requires official ID.
Approved Identification Methods in Illinois
Illinois accepts several forms of official identification, all of which must bear the U.S. shield or meet APHIS approval standards. Official ear tags must bear the US shield and can consist of a scrapie tag or an EID (electronic identification device, such as an 840 tag). Legible flock ID tattoos composed of the Flock Identification Number assigned by APHIS and an individual animal number unique within the flock are also accepted, as are electronic implants or microchips with the number noted on registered paperwork.
- Official Scrapie Eartag: Plastic or metal tag bearing the US shield and the producer’s flock ID followed by a unique individual animal number
- Electronic Identification Device (EID/RFID): Including 840 RFID tags; a national premises ID is required to purchase 840 RFID tags or implantable devices
- Registry Tattoo: For registered animals, a legible tattoo may serve as official ID when accompanied by a current registration certificate
- Electronic Implant/Microchip: Subject to additional restrictions; number must be noted on registered paperwork
Registered animals may be identified with a registration tattoo instead of a tag, as long as the animal is accompanied by a copy of the registration certificate issued by an APHIS-approved registry listing the current owner, or the registration certificate and a completed transfer of ownership form dated within 60 days that lists the current owner.
How to Obtain Official Tags
The National Scrapie Eradication Program provides 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. No-cost metal tags for producers were discontinued on August 31, 2019. Producers and others who handle sheep or goats in commerce who need additional tags or want a different type or color of tag may purchase official plastic, metal, or RFID tags directly from approved tag manufacturers.
To request official sheep and goat tags, a flock or premises ID, or both, call 1-866-USDA-Tag (866-873-2824). You can also contact the USDA APHIS Veterinary Services Illinois District Office directly at (217) 547-6030.
Flock Registration and Recordkeeping Requirements in Illinois
Owning a Flock ID number is only the beginning. Illinois producers must also maintain accurate records that allow state and federal officials to trace animals quickly in the event of a disease investigation.
Producers are required to follow federal and state regulations for officially identifying their sheep and goats. Producers must also keep herd records showing what new animals were added and what animals left the herd or flock.
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 begin with the state postal abbreviation, must have no more than nine alphanumeric characters, and must not contain the characters “I”, “O”, or “Q” other than as part of the state postal abbreviation or another standardized format authorized by the administrator and recorded in the National Scrapie Database.
What Your Records Must Include
At minimum, your flock records should document the following for each animal entering or leaving your premises:
- The official ID number of each animal
- The date of purchase or sale
- The seller’s or buyer’s name and premises identification number
- The purpose of movement (breeding, exhibition, slaughter, etc.)
Since the incubation period for scrapie is typically two to five years, producers should record individual identification numbers and the seller’s premises identification number on purchase and sales records. This information becomes critical if an animal in your flock is later identified as exposed or positive, as it allows investigators to trace contact animals across multiple premises.
APHIS published a final rule in the Federal Register in 2019, updating scrapie program regulations (9 CFR 79). The rule established a more flexible approach to disease investigations and affected flock management and more consistent animal identification and recordkeeping requirements for sheep and goats.
Interstate and Intrastate Movement Rules for Sheep and Goats in Illinois
Movement rules in Illinois apply in two directions: animals coming into the state and animals leaving. Both sets of requirements carry legal weight, and violations can result in quarantine, rejection at the point of entry, or penalties under the Illinois Diseased Animals Act.
Animals Entering Illinois
All sheep and goats entering Illinois for breeding, exhibition, or feeding purposes — except for sheep or goats consigned directly to an approved livestock auction market where the animals will be officially identified if required by the Scrapie Eradication Uniform Methods and Rules — shall be accompanied by an official health certificate showing the individual approved official identification and permit number issued by the Department.
The health certificate shall indicate the sheep or goats were examined within 30 days prior to entry and found free of any infectious or communicable disease and that they have not recently been exposed to infectious or communicable disease.
No sheep which are known to be from an infected or source flock and no progeny of sheep known to be from an infected or source flock shall be transported or moved into Illinois except direct to slaughter. The same prohibition applies to goats: no goats which are known to be from an infected or source flock and no progeny of goats known to be from an infected or source flock shall be transported or moved into Illinois except direct to slaughter.
Goats entering Illinois for breeding, exhibition, or feeding purposes, except goats consigned directly to a livestock auction market, shall be accompanied by an entry permit issued by the Department. The same requirement applies to sheep entering Illinois for breeding, exhibition, or feeding purposes. Veterinarians can obtain animal import permits through the online Animal Import Permit System administered by the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Animals Leaving Illinois
For animals leaving Illinois and entering interstate commerce, official identification is required before the animals move off the premises. The scrapie regulations 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.
Because Illinois holds Consistent State status, animals from Illinois generally face fewer restrictions when crossing into other states than animals originating from non-consistent states. However, you should always verify the destination state’s specific import requirements before shipping, as individual state rules vary.
Intrastate Movement and Change of Ownership
Within Illinois, a change of ownership triggers identification requirements even if the animals never leave the state. If you are selling or buying breeding animals, they need to be officially identified prior to or at the time of sale. This applies to private treaty sales, farm-to-farm transfers, and sales through livestock markets alike. Illinois producers who fail to officially identify animals before an intrastate ownership transfer put their ability to participate in interstate commerce at risk.
Reporting, Testing, and Quarantine Requirements in Illinois
Illinois law treats scrapie as a reportable disease, and the obligations that follow a suspected or confirmed case are immediate and non-negotiable.
Scrapie as a Reportable Disease
Scrapie is listed as a reportable disease by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, alongside transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) more broadly. Veterinarians, livestock owners, and other industry sectors have the responsibility to prevent the movement of contaminated, infectious, or contagious animals, animal products, and other potentially contaminated or infectious materials under the Illinois Diseased Animals Act (510 ILCS 50, Sec. 18-23).
According to the Illinois Diseased Animals Rules, “Any herd owner, flock owner, veterinarian, or other person having knowledge of the disease, failing to report a suspect case of any of the diseases immediately after discovery, or who is responsible for the spread of the diseases, shall be subject to penalty as provided by the law.”
Who Must Report and When
If you observe clinical signs consistent with scrapie — including incoordination, weight loss despite normal appetite, wool loss, or intense rubbing — you must report the suspect animal to the Illinois Department of Agriculture immediately. The accreditation standards require reporting of live or dead scrapie suspects to state and federal authorities. Accredited veterinarians carry this obligation as part of their licensure requirements.
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.
On-Farm Mortality Sampling
Owner submission of samples from sheep and goats over 18 months of age found dead or euthanized on farm is extremely important. To declare the United States “scrapie-free,” USDA must prove to the world that testing has been conducted in all sheep and goat populations. Submitting samples from animals that die on your farm — even when scrapie is not suspected — contributes directly to this surveillance effort. Illinois producers are encouraged to work with their accredited veterinarian to submit appropriate tissue samples from mature animals that die on-premises.
Quarantine Procedures
The National Scrapie Eradication Program includes quarantine and testing of exposed animals sold from an infected source flock or herd. When a flock is placed under quarantine, no sheep or goats may leave the premises without written authorization from state or federal animal health officials. All animals in the flock will be individually identified, and a risk analysis will be conducted to determine which animals are high-risk, suspect, or exposed.
APHIS provides the following assistance to owners of exposed and infected flocks or herds that participate in cleanup plans: 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. Participating in the cleanup plan is the path back to unrestricted movement for your remaining animals. Illinois producers raising other livestock and wildlife species — including those who also keep dogs subject to breed restrictions — should be aware that animal health regulations in Illinois are enforced across multiple species and agencies.
Scrapie Free Flock Certification Program (SFCP) in Illinois
Beyond the mandatory baseline requirements, Illinois sheep and goat producers have access to a voluntary program that can meaningfully increase the value and marketability of their animals: the Scrapie-Free Flock Certification Program (SFCP).
What the SFCP Is
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.
The SFCP identifies scrapie-free flocks by monitoring them over a five-to-seven-year period. The program provides sheep and goat producers the opportunity to increase the marketability of their animals through demonstrating a negligible scrapie risk in their flock or herd. For Illinois producers who sell breeding stock, rams, bucks, or registered animals — or who want to access export markets — SFCP certification is a significant competitive advantage.
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).
| Category | Status | Primary Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Export | Export Monitored | Entry-level certification toward Export Certified status; demonstrates active monitoring |
| Export | Export Certified | Full certification as a scrapie-free establishment; supports international trade eligibility |
| Select | Select Monitored | Domestic-focused certification that demonstrates reduced scrapie risk for U.S. markets |
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.
How to Enroll in the SFCP in Illinois
To enroll your Illinois flock in the SFCP, you must already have a Flock ID number and be in compliance with all baseline identification and recordkeeping requirements. Enrollment is processed through USDA APHIS Veterinary Services. Once enrolled, your flock will be subject to annual inspections conducted by an accredited veterinarian, and you must maintain full compliance with ID and recordkeeping standards throughout the monitoring period.
SFCP tags may only be purchased by owners of flocks participating in the Scrapie-Free Flock Certification Program. These specialized tags visually distinguish your certified animals from non-certified flocks, which is valuable when selling at markets or through private treaty.
Biosecurity Practices That Support SFCP Enrollment
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.
Raising replacement ewes, purchasing genetically resistant (RR) rams, or buying from a certified-free scrapie flock are other options to reduce the risk of scrapie. These biosecurity practices are not only good herd management — they are the foundation of a successful SFCP application and help ensure your flock retains its certified status year after year.
For more information on SFCP enrollment and current program standards, contact the USDA APHIS Scrapie Program directly, or reach out to the USDA APHIS Veterinary Services Illinois District Office at (217) 547-6030. You can also review the full federal scrapie regulations at 9 CFR Part 79 for the complete regulatory text governing identification, movement, and quarantine procedures.
Conclusion
The Scrapie Eradication Program in Illinois touches every part of your sheep or goat operation — from the tag in your animal’s ear to the records you keep when you sell a lamb. Illinois’s Consistent State status, stricter-than-federal identification rules, and mandatory reporting requirements all reflect the state’s serious commitment to eliminating this disease from U.S. flocks for good.
Your key action items as an Illinois producer are clear: obtain your Flock ID, officially identify every animal that requires it before it leaves your farm, maintain complete purchase and sale records, report any scrapie suspect immediately, and consider enrolling in the SFCP if you sell breeding stock. For questions specific to your operation, contact the Illinois Department of Agriculture or the USDA APHIS Veterinary Services Illinois District Office at (217) 547-6030. You can also review the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s small ruminant health page and the USDA NVAP scrapie reference guide for additional program details. Illinois producers interested in other regulated and monitored animal populations in the state may also find resources on popular dog breeds in Illinois and hawks in Illinois through the Illinois animal health community.