Who creates laws that protect livestock and poultry from contagious and infectious diseases?

• A. State Department of Agriculture
• B. Department of Public Health
• C. Federal Department of Agriculture
• D. Office of the Governor

Answer: (A)

State-level regulation of livestock health is driven by the agency that oversees agriculture. The State Department of Agriculture is tasked with protecting livestock and poultry from contagious diseases, which includes disease surveillance, movement controls, quarantines, and the development of rules and procedures that put laws into practice for farms, markets, and other points of contact. While enabling laws are created by the legislature, the department translates those laws into specific regulations that producers must follow and coordinates outbreak responses within the state. The Department of Public Health focuses on human health risks, including zoonotic concerns, rather than regulating animal health laws. The federal Department of Agriculture handles nationwide programs and interstate considerations, not state-specific disease laws. The Governor’s office helps shape policy but does not create the laws themselves.