generated: '2026-09-02'
method: searched
source: >-
  https://www.aphis.usda.gov/efile, https://www.aphis.usda.gov/efile/help,
  https://www.aphis.usda.gov/data-visualization-tools, plus live probes on 2026-09-02
specification: API Commons Lifecycle
specificationVersion: '0.1'
provider: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
providerId: animal-and-plant-health-inspection-service
summary: >-
  APHIS operates production digital services but publishes no API lifecycle apparatus. There is no
  versioning policy, no deprecation policy, no Sunset/Deprecation header practice, no SLA, no
  changelog, and no status page. The only version signal anywhere on the surface is the ArcGIS REST
  currentVersion advertised by the Esri platform, which is Esri's version and not APHIS's.
versioning:
  policy_published: false
  scheme: none
  note: >-
    No APHIS surface is versioned in a URL, header, or media type. The ArcGIS feature services report
    currentVersion 12, which is the ArcGIS Online platform release, not a contract version APHIS
    controls or commits to.
  evidence:
    - url: https://services7.arcgis.com/2C1NQ7u6M6SXoa8p/arcgis/rest/services?f=json
      status: 200
      detail: currentVersion 12 (Esri platform version)
deprecation:
  policy_published: false
  sunset_header: false
  deprecation_header: false
  rfc8594: false
  note: >-
    No deprecation policy or notice period is published. Service turnover is observable in the data
    instead: the tenant carries multiple superseded copies of the same layer (NASS_2017_STATE_1_049dc,
    _15cfe, _472f3, _8b447, _abf8b, _b5103; RHDV2 case-count 2020-2021 alongside 2020-2023) with no
    marker saying which is current and no removal date on the stale ones. A consumer cannot tell a
    live layer from an abandoned one.
  deprecated_operations: []
  observed_supersession:
    - current: RHDV2_USCounties_CaseCount_2020_2023
      superseded:
        - RHDV2_USCounties_CaseCount_2020_2021
        - RHDV2_USCounties_CaseCount_2020_2021_View
        - RHDV2_USCounties_CaseCount_2020_2021_View2
      basis: date range in the service name; neither is marked deprecated
    - current: unknown
      superseded:
        - NASS_2017_COUNTY__withzeroes_View_2904f
        - NASS_2017_COUNTY__withzeroes_View_a8071
        - NASS_2017_COUNTY__withzeroes_View_fd7c7
      basis: six hash-suffixed clones of one layer; no canonical marker
status_page:
  published: false
  url: null
  evidence:
    - url: https://status.aphis.usda.gov/
      status: <no response>
      detail: host does not resolve
    - url: https://efile.aphis.usda.gov/s/status
      status: 200
      detail: Salesforce Experience Cloud catch-all, not a status page
  note: >-
    Outage and maintenance information is distributed by email and by the eFile help desk
    (help@usda.gov / 877-944-8457), not by a machine-readable status endpoint.
sla:
  published: false
  note: No availability or support-response commitment is published for any APHIS digital service.
changelog:
  published: false
  note: >-
    No dated changelog or release-notes page exists for eFile, ACIR, the Public Search Tool, or the
    geospatial services. The eFile Help page links only to training material and support contacts.
  evidence:
    - url: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/efile/help
      status: 200
      detail: no release notes, status page, or technical specification links present
support:
  help_desk_email: help@usda.gov
  help_desk_phone: 877-944-8457
  help_portal: https://help.aphis.usda.gov
  general_support: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/contact-us
  customer_support_email: aphis.customersupport@usda.gov
  web_support_email: aphisweb@usda.gov
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: info@apievangelist.com