Animal Disease Risk Assessment, Prevention, and Control Act of 2001

The Animal Disease Risk Assessment, Prevention, and Control Act of 2001 was enacted to protect the American food supply and livestock industry from highly contagious diseases, specifically "mad cow disease" and foot-and-mouth disease. The law required the Secretary of Agriculture to coordinate with various federal agencies to evaluate current prevention measures and identify any gaps in public health or border security. For citizens, this meant a more formalized national strategy to prevent the introduction of foreign animal diseases, ensuring the continued safety of domestic meat products and the stability of the agricultural economy.