The following guidelines are being developed as an aid for rapid decision making to facilitate response planning and development of business continuity plans in the event of a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the United States or North America. The size, structure, efficiency, and extensive movement inherent in the United States and North American livestock industries will present unprecedented challenges in the event of an FMD outbreak. Strategies for the response to, and management of, an FMD outbreak will change as the outbreak progresses and will depend upon the magnitude, location, other characteristics of the outbreak, and vaccine availability. At the beginning of an outbreak, or with a small outbreak, the highest priority is to take all measures possible to prevent disease spread, to stamp-out the disease as rapidly as possible, and to reestablish the United States as an FMD-free country. In an extensive outbreak of FMD, the highest priority is to ensure a secure food supply for the nation and the world by ensuring business continuity for food animal producers and all associated industries.