Scrapie Eradication Program in North Dakota: Rules Every Sheep and Goat Producer Must Know

If you raise sheep or goats in North Dakota, scrapie regulations directly affect how you identify, move, and manage your animals. Scrapie is a fatal brain disease with no cure, and both federal and state rules are in place to find and eliminate it before it spreads further through American flocks and herds.

Understanding the Scrapie Eradication Program in North Dakota means knowing which animals must be tagged, when records must be kept, how to move animals across state lines, and what to do if a suspect case appears on your premises. This guide walks you through each layer of the program so you can stay compliant and protect your operation.

What Is Scrapie and Why It Is Regulated in North Dakota

Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system of sheep and goats. It is classified as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). It is in the same class of diseases as BSE in cattle and Chronic Wasting Disease in elk and deer.

Scrapie is difficult to detect. It can take 2 to 5 years for an animal to show signs of disease, and current diagnostic tests require brain or lymphoid tissue. Animals typically live 1 to 6 months after they begin to show signs. Most are infected as young lambs or kids, but adult animals can get it, too. Apparently healthy animals infected with the disease agent can spread it.

Common clinical signs you may observe include incoordination or poor muscle control (ataxia), weakness, stumbling, falling down, or difficulty rising. Because infected animals can appear healthy while spreading the disease, routine identification and surveillance are the only reliable tools available to producers and regulators.

The presence of classical scrapie in the U.S. sheep and goat population affects industry economically through production losses, lost exports, and increased production and disposal costs. Scrapie currently costs sheep and goat industries approximately $10 to $20 million in lost export opportunities, annually. For North Dakota producers, that means scrapie status is not just a health issue — it is a market access issue that affects your ability to sell breeding stock and move animals across state lines.

Regulation is also tied to the broader goal of achieving international disease-free recognition. For a country to be considered free of scrapie, international standards require that no sheep or goats test positive for classical scrapie for seven years. North Dakota’s participation in the national program is a direct contribution toward reaching that threshold. If you want to learn about other regulated animal topics in the state, see the overview of roadkill laws in North Dakota and pit bull laws in North Dakota for additional context on how the state approaches animal-related regulation.

North Dakota’s Role in the National Scrapie Eradication Program

The National Scrapie Eradication Program (NSEP) is a cooperative State-Federal-industry program working to eradicate classical scrapie from the United States and meet World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) criteria for disease freedom. North Dakota participates as a partner state, meaning your state animal health officials work alongside USDA APHIS Veterinary Services to enforce identification requirements, conduct surveillance, and manage any infected or exposed flocks.

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 between sheep and goats.

Since 2002, the prevalence of scrapie has decreased significantly through existing eradication efforts, largely a result of effective slaughter surveillance. Since slaughter surveillance started in FY 2003, the percent of cull sheep found positive at slaughter (once adjusted for face color) has decreased 99 percent. North Dakota’s consistent participation in surveillance — including on-farm sample submissions — is part of what makes that progress possible.

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). As a North Dakota producer, you are subject to the mandatory requirements of the ASEP and have the option to enroll in the SFCP for additional market benefits. APHIS publishes FY 2026 state-level sheep and goat sampling minimums that North Dakota must meet each fiscal year to retain Consistent State status.

Official Animal Identification Requirements in North Dakota

Official identification is the foundation of the entire scrapie program. Without it, tracing an infected animal back to its flock of origin — or forward to flocks it may have exposed — is impossible.

Which Animals Must Be Identified

The animals listed below are required by federal and/or state regulations to be identified as part of the National Scrapie Eradication Program before they enter interstate commerce or if ownership changes. At the federal level, this includes:

• All sheep not in slaughter channels
• All sheep over 18 months of age, including those in slaughter channels
• Goats 18 months of age or older and all sexually intact goats under 18 months of age moving for purposes other than slaughter or feeding for slaughter, with some exceptions.
• Any animal from an infected, source, or exposed flock

Some states have identification requirements that are stricter than federal requirements, so the exceptions listed below do not apply in all states. For information on each state’s ID and movement requirements, contact the State Veterinarian’s office. North Dakota producers should confirm current intrastate requirements directly with the North Dakota State Veterinarian’s office or the APHIS Veterinary Services area office.

Approved Forms of Official Identification

Producers should consider the different devices available — including metal or plastic tags, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, RFID implants (there are restrictions on the use of implants) — and choose what works best for them. All approved devices carry the U.S. shield and a unique number that ties the animal to its flock of origin in the National Scrapie Database.

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.

The preferred placement for eartags is in the left ear to aid in shearing. Official tags may not be sold or given to another person. If you no longer need the tags, they should be destroyed or returned to the APHIS Veterinary Services District Field Office for your state.

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. Dealers and markets may continue to receive metal serial tags at no cost until available funds are expended.

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. A flock or premises ID is required to order tags from these sources. A national premises ID is also required to purchase official 840 RFID tags or implantable devices.

To request tags or obtain a flock/premises ID, call 1-866-USDA-TAG (866-873-2824). This number has a telephone tree that will gather information to route you to the correct APHIS Veterinary Services or State office to answer your questions about sheep and goat identification.

Flock Registration and Recordkeeping Requirements in North Dakota

Before you can obtain official tags, your flock or premises must be registered and assigned an identification number. This number links every tagged animal to your location in the National Scrapie Database, making traceback possible in the event of a positive test.

Getting Your Flock or Premises ID

The flock ID number must be recorded in and linked to one or more premises identification numbers (PINs) or location identifiers (LIDs) 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.

A premises identification number (PIN) or location identifier (LID) is a unique code permanently assigned to a physical location and is required to purchase official animal identification tags. Each state administers PIN or LID registration. Contact the North Dakota State Veterinarian’s office or call 1-866-USDA-TAG to initiate registration.

Recordkeeping Standards

APHIS updated specific identification requirements for goats and certain recordkeeping requirements for sheep and goats to provide increased animal disease traceability. Traceability is provided for certain classes of sheep and goats by the scrapie program, but strengthening traceability — particularly for goats — is important.

Records must be kept for 5 years after the animal is sold or otherwise disposed of. Ideally, producers should keep records in an electronic format, such as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.

Your records should capture the following for each animal or group:

• Official ID number (tag number, tattoo, or microchip number)
• Date of acquisition or birth
• Source flock or premises ID
• Date of sale, transfer, or death
• Destination premises ID when the animal leaves your operation

Sheep and goats moving in slaughter channels are required to have an owner/shipper statement. This statement must include group/lot identification, unless the animals are individually identified with official tags.

Interstate and Intrastate Movement Rules for Sheep and Goats in North Dakota

Movement rules are among the most practically important aspects of the scrapie program for North Dakota producers who buy, sell, or transport animals. Federal rules govern interstate movement, while North Dakota may impose additional requirements for intrastate transactions.

Interstate Movement Requirements

All sheep and goats must have official ID when moving off their premises of origin, except in certain circumstances. Animals are required to be identified as part of the National Scrapie Eradication Program when they move between states as part of interstate commerce or if ownership changes.

Key exceptions to the individual ID requirement for interstate movement include:

• Sheep or goats moving with a group ID and owner/hauler statement, including sheep and goats under 18 months of age in slaughter channels, and sheep and goats of any age shipped directly to a slaughter establishment or a federally approved market that has agreed to act as an agent for the owner to apply official ID when all the animals in a section of a truck are from the same flock of origin.
• Low-risk commercial goats that meet the federal definition (raised for fiber or meat, not registered or exhibited, not exposed to sheep, not from an infected or source herd) — though note this exception does not apply in all states

An Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI) is an official document issued by a Federal, State, Tribal, or accredited veterinarian certifying the inspection of animals in preparation for interstate movement or other uses as described in the regulations. Many receiving states require an ICVI for sheep and goat shipments regardless of scrapie status, so always verify destination state requirements before moving animals. You can find state import requirements for livestock through the APHIS traceability portal.

Movement of Animals from Infected, Source, or Exposed Flocks

If your flock has been designated as infected, source, or exposed, movement is significantly restricted. A permit (VS Form 1-27 or equivalent state form) is required for the interstate movement of animals from restricted flocks. A new permit is required for each change in destination. A permit lists the owner’s name and address; points of origin and destination; number of animals covered; purpose of the movement; whether the animals are from an exposed, noncompliant, infected, or source flock; and transportation vehicle license number.

Intrastate Movement in North Dakota

The scrapie regulations 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. This means that when you sell animals within North Dakota and ownership changes hands, official ID is generally required — not just when crossing state lines. Confirm the current intrastate rules with the North Dakota State Veterinarian’s office, as state-specific requirements can be stricter than the federal baseline.

Reporting, Testing, and Quarantine Requirements in North Dakota

Surveillance is how the program finds remaining scrapie cases. Your cooperation in submitting samples and reporting suspect animals is not just encouraged — in many situations it is required.

Reporting Suspect Animals

If you have an adult sheep or goat exhibiting signs of scrapie such as incoordination, severe continuous rubbing, or other neurologic signs, or an adult animal dies or is euthanized, or is being culled (even if you know the cause of death), contact your local State or USDA APHIS Veterinary Services veterinarian or call 866-536-7593 right away.

Owner submission of samples from sheep and goats over 18 months of age found dead or euthanized on farm is extremely important to the national eradication effort. There is no charge for the collection or testing of the samples for scrapie. In addition, producers providing samples may be eligible for free official plastic tags as long as supplies last.

How Testing Works

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 provides shipping boxes and pre-printed, postage-paid labels at no cost to producers and accredited veterinarians. 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.

Quarantine and Flock Designations

If a positive or suspect case is confirmed on your premises, APHIS and North Dakota animal health officials will conduct an epidemiological investigation and assign a flock designation. Possible designations include:

• Infected flock — The flock of origin of a female animal that a State or APHIS representative has determined to be a scrapie-positive animal, or any flock in which a scrapie-positive female animal has resided unless an epidemiologic investigation shows that the animal did not lamb or abort in the flock.
• Source flock — A flock that has produced or contains animals epidemiologically linked to a scrapie-positive animal
• Exposed flock — A flock that has had contact with animals from an infected or source flock

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. A flock will no longer be considered an infected flock after it has completed the requirements of a flock plan.

For guidance on cleaning and disinfecting your premises following a positive finding, Appendix 2 of the Scrapie Program Standards Volume 2 provides detailed protocols. Note that prions are resistant to most standard disinfectants and require specific decontamination procedures.

Scrapie Free Flock Certification Program (SFCP) in North Dakota

Beyond mandatory compliance, North Dakota producers have the option to enroll in the Scrapie Free Flock Certification Program — a voluntary program that offers marketing advantages and contributes to the overall eradication effort.

What the SFCP Offers

The SFCP is a voluntary program 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 was established in 1992 through the combined efforts of APHIS, the states, and the sheep and goat industries. It is a voluntary program for sheep and goat flock owners who wish to reduce or eliminate the risk of introducing classical scrapie into their flocks.

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).

Animals from “Export Certified” flocks meet the World Organization for Animal Health’s standards to be recognized as free of disease. To achieve “Export Certified” status, a flock must gain a minimum of seven years in status and sample 30 mature animals. This sampling minimum may be achieved through slaughter, necropsy, and live animal testing.

Enrollment Requirements

Sheep or goat producers applying for the “Select” category are only required to submit the application for enrollment, VS Form 5-22. Sheep and goat producers applying for the “Export” category are required to submit a complete application package.

Flock owners who join the SFCP commit to monitoring their flocks for evidence of scrapie and reporting all clinically suspect animals to APHIS or State authorities for testing. Monitoring includes individual animal identification, accurate recordkeeping, observation and evaluation of animals for clinical signs of scrapie (including death), and testing a minimum number of mature animals.

To maintain scrapie-free status, flock owners may not obtain ewes or does from nonparticipating flocks or from flocks with lower status. Flock owners who do not comply with this requirement will have their flock’s status date adjusted to reflect the addition of the lowest category animal.

How to Apply in North Dakota

The State Scrapie Flock Certification Board (or its representative) reviews applications and approves admissions to the program. To begin enrollment, contact the North Dakota APHIS Veterinary Services area office or the State Veterinarian’s office. You can also look up your state’s designated scrapie epidemiologist (DSE) and local point of contact through the APHIS state contact directory.

Participating in the SFCP is one of the most effective steps a North Dakota producer can take to both protect their flock and improve the marketability of their breeding animals. Combined with consistent tagging, recordkeeping, and surveillance participation, SFCP enrollment positions your operation as a responsible contributor to the national goal of scrapie eradication.

For more information on other animal health and regulatory topics relevant to North Dakota livestock and wildlife producers, explore related resources such as tick season in North Dakota — a seasonal concern for sheep and goat producers — and venomous animals in North Dakota for broader awareness of hazards that can affect your animals on pasture.