The Animal Industry Division is responsible for the administration of programs to prevent, eradicate and control diseases of livestock and poultry, as well as assuring that all meat and meat food products offered for sale to consumers are not adulterated, are wholesome, and are properly marked, labeled, and packaged.
Other responsibilities include: assuring that all animals imported into Alabama are in compliance with import requirements, administering the National Poultry Improvement Plan, providing diagnostic laboratories, and conducting epidemiological/investigation of disease outbreaks of livestock and poultry.
The duties and responsibilities of this division are administered by three sections:Animal Health, Meat and Poultry Inspection, and Diagnostic Laboratories.
Animal Health Section: Responsible for protecting the health of livestock and poultry in Alabama by administering programs to prevent, control and eradicate diseases.
Meat and Poultry Inspection Section: Assures the consumer that all meat and meat food products that are sold in Alabama have under gone inspection prior to slaughter, during slaughter and during the process of preparing these products. Inspection assures consumers that at the time the meat food products leave the establishment in which they were produced, they were clean, wholesome, unadulterated and properly labeled.
Diagnostic Laboratories: The diagnostic laboratories identify and investigate diseases of livestock, poultry, wildlife, and companion animals. The laboratories perform special tests not provided at most veterinary practices. The diagnostic laboratory system comprises a central reference laboratory at Auburn and satellite laboratories at Elba, Boaz, and Hanceville.
