The Livestock and Poultry Division's primary goal is to protect animal and human health from zoonotic and other communicable animal diseases. The Livestock and Poultry Division has three key sections that monitor, evaluate, and regulate foreign animal diseases that threaten Arkansas animal industries: (1) Animal Health; (2) Food Safety/Egg and Poultry; and (3) Regulatory Compliance.

Livestock and Poultry Division personnel administer and implement the rules promulgated by the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission. The Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission has statutory authority for providing control, suppression, and eradication of livestock and poultry diseases and pests, and supervision of livestock and poultry enforcement actions.

The Livestock and Poultry Division partners with the United States Department of Agriculture through cooperative agreements for livestock and poultry disease control, animal identification for disease traceback, food safety programs, and livestock market news reporting. These programs promote and enhance the marketability of livestock and poultry both nationally and internationally.