DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal Health Division
LIVESTOCK DISEASE CONTROL
8 CCR 1201-19
Part 5.	Bovine Tuberculosis
5.14.	Minimum Standards for Accreditation and Reaccreditation of Tuberculosis Accredited Cattle, Dairy Herds or Bison Herds
5.14.2.	Tuberculosis accreditation and reaccreditation for dairy herds is voluntary. The minimum standards for any voluntary accreditation or reaccreditation of a tuberculosis accredited dairy herd are as follows, and any reaccreditation must occur between 33 and 39 months of any initial accreditation:
5.14.21 .	Initial tuberculosis accreditation involves testing all cattle in the dairy herd, including any beef cattle and calves comingling, greater than 12 months of age.
5.14.22 .	All test eligible animals in the accredited herd must have an official animal ID eartag.
5.14.2.3.	Accurate records on each individual animal must be kept, including disposal and/or death of each animal, natural additions and purchased additions.
5.14.2.4.	Accreditation is valid for three years unless tuberculosis is diagnosed in the herd after any initial accreditation. The Department may issue a TB Accreditation certificate to any bovine dairy herd owner whose herd meets these standards of TB Accreditation.
5.15.	Minimum Standards for Accreditation and Reaccreditation of Tuberculosis Accredited Non-Bovine Dairy Herds
5.15.1.	Minimum standards for voluntary accreditation and reaccreditation of tuberculosis accredited non-bovine dairy herds are as follows:
5.15.1.1.	Testing of herds for accreditation or reaccreditation shall include all dairy animals over six (6) months of age and any dairy animals other than natural additions under six (6) months of age. All natural additions shall have an official animal ID eartag and be recorded on the test report as members of the herd at the time of the annual test.
5.15.1.2.	Voluntary reaccreditation shall require a negative test of all test eligible herd members not less than ten (10) nor more than fourteen (14) months from the official accreditation date.
Part 16:	Statements of Basis, Specific Statutory Authority and Purpose
16.11.	Adopted April 14, 2021 – Effective June 15, 2021
Statutory Authority
These Rules are proposed for adoption by the Commissioner of the Colorado Department of Agriculture pursuant to her authority under §§ 35-50-105(3)(a), (f), and (h), C.R.S.
Purpose
The purpose of this proposed rule-making is to remove the requirement that Colorado dairies be accredited TB-free and allow for voluntary accreditation.
Specific Purpose
Part 5.14.2 was amended to change the mandatory tuberculosis accreditation requirement for bovine dairy herds to voluntary accreditation. 
Part 5.15.1 was amended to change the mandatory tuberculosis accreditation requirement for non-bovine dairy herds to voluntary accreditation.  
Factual Policy and Issues
The Colorado Dairy TB Accreditation testing program has existed as a disease surveillance tool used to potentially enable a more timely diagnosis and location of TB in Colorado.  Many other states had similar TB accreditation testing programs but have since ended their programs.  At this time, Colorado is the only state to require bovine and non-bovine dairy herd TB accreditation testing.  
Colorado TB Dairy Accreditation testing has not proven to be an effective disease surveillance tool in past years and is not likely to locate newly infected TB dairy herds in the foreseeable future.  Due to the economic and labor-related burdens associated with testing without a benefit in disease reduction, the CDA Animal Health Division is recommending a rule change to no longer require TB Accreditation for Colorado dairies