The 2023 U.S. CattleTrace Symposium is going to be a unique event for attendees. Although the discussion around animal disease traceability has been around for 30 years, the U.S. does not have a nationally significant traceability system in place. The topic of the potential impact that a foreign animal disease could have on the beef cattle industry has been on many agendas in recent years. This year U.S. CattleTrace is bringing an immersion experience to attendees through a tabletop simulation. Through the exercise, attendees will get to participate in and see the U.S.’s current response plans for a potential foreign animal disease outbreak. Then a demonstration showcasing how an enhanced animal disease traceability system, such as U.S. CattleTrace, will assist the current response plans for the future. Attendees range from producers, animal health officials, meat processors, retailers and allied industry members. This event will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to allow participants to experience the potential impacts a foreign animal disease could have and how we can better prepare ourselves as an industry to make traceability a reality.