The paper explains that the concept of a national surveillance system is not a new idea. Beginning in 1920, the United States Liverstock Sanitary Association called for a method to collect, analyze, and distribute information relating to the health of livestock. Numerous other committees and institutions, including the National Academy of Science, have documented the need for such a system. The NAHMS program began in 1983 as a pilot project in the States of Ohio and Tennessee. The paper presents five topics relating to the NAHMS program: 1) how and why the NAHMS program began; 2) some results of this initial effort; 3) the current status of the program; 4) future direction of NAHMS; and 5) suggestions for developing national surveillance systems. Finally, a summary presents that the national implementation of NAHMS provides a source of reliable animal health information for use in improving production efficiency and the quality of animal derived foods. Accomplishment of the goals of NAHMS requires a sound scientific basis, emphasis on useful results, and an ongoing commitment to the ultimate beneficiaries, American producers and consumers. (MIBA)