A. The State Veterinarian shall take such measures as may be necessary to prevent the spread of and eradicate contagious and infectious livestock and poultry diseases. The Board may adopt regulations as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this article. The Board and the Commissioner are also authorized to make the regulations adopted under this article conform, insofar as practicable, to those regulations adopted under federal statutes governing animal health.

B. The Commissioner may adopt by reference any federal regulation adopted pursuant to any federal statute relating to animal health, amending it as necessary for intrastate applicability. Any regulation adopted by the Commissioner pursuant to this subsection shall be effective upon filing with the Registrar of Regulations, who shall publish the regulation as a final regulation in the Virginia Register of Regulations, or upon a date specified by the Department that is after the filing.

The regulation shall contain a preamble stating that the Board will receive, consider and respond to a petition by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision of such regulation. Neither the requirements of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) nor public participation guidelines adopted pursuant thereto shall apply to the adoption of any regulation by the Commissioner pursuant to this subsection.

C. The Board, after giving notice in the Virginia Register of Regulations, may reconsider and revise the regulation adopted by the Commissioner. If, upon reconsideration, the Board determines that the regulation should be revised other than as authorized by subsection B, the Board may amend the regulation only as authorized by the Administrative Process Act.

D. The Commissioner and the Board may use the powers granted by this article to abate the presence of biological residues in or on livestock or poultry. Biological residues shall mean those substances remaining in or on any animal prior to or at the time of slaughter as the result of treatment or exposure that are determined by the Commissioner and the Board to be or to have the potential for being injurious to the health of humans or animals.

Code 1950, § 3-568; 1966, c. 702, § 3.1-726; 1977, c. 299; 1981, c. 130; 1991, c. 294; 2008, c. 860.