The Atlantic Johne's Disease Initiative (AJDI) is a voluntary program for the Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, in partnership with Maritime Quality Milk at the Atlantic Veterinary College. The program provides education and assistance to Atlantic dairy farmers to assess and address Johne's on their farms. The program includes two main activities: herd testing and risk assessments. These procedures are designed to strategically and cost-efficiently reduce the impact of Johne's disease on the regional dairy industry.
Johne's disease is among the top animal health priorities of the Canadian dairy industry and can lead to substantial financial losses for farmers. The Dairy Farmers of Canada, in collaboration with industry partners, has developed the Canadian Johne´s Disease Initiative. AJDI is consistent with the tenets of the national program and focuses on education, strategic surveillance and risk management. As a farm biosecurity-based program, AJDI discourages the movement of animals between farms. Purchased animals should be presumed to be infected. AJDI promotes herd of origin testing as a way to reduce risk.