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United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

A USDA-accredited veterinarian can assist the USDA in carrying out programs that are designed to safeguard animal health.

Overview

Through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), a veterinarian can become accredited by the National Veterinary Accreditation Program (NVAP) to assist the USDA in controlling animal health. APHIS was created in 1992 to establish a national program to standardize the accreditation procedures and requirements.

What does it mean to be a USDA-accredited veterinarian?

A USDA-accredited veterinarian is allowed to practice and perform procedures that will help the USDA with furthering their mission of protecting animal health. A few of the most important benefits of being an accredited veterinarian include enhanced professional knowledge of animal health and foreign animal diseases for animals, food, and regulatory issues, acceptance of official work performed by other accredited veterinarians in international markets, ability to choose the accreditation program that best fits their practice type, notifications and the ability to take part in State-Federal agricultural emergency response efforts, opportunity to receive supplemental training at no cost, and to be a local resource for USDA information.

Only accredited veterinarians can...

...Prepare Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVI's) or "health papers" for animals to move across state or international borders.

...Perform testing for government program diseases. An accredited veterinarian is allowed to do these tests and other disease work for the USDA.

...Provide front line support in defending the United States from emerging and foreign animal diseases.

For more information please visit https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/home/