Category Archives: USDA

Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is pleased to announce the final Strategic Framework outlining how the Agency will advance surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging zoonotic diseases as directed by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan (ARP).

The newest video in the ongoing series, Feral Swine in America: Episode 4: Arizona looks at the unique challenges of removing the last feral swine in Havasu National Wildlife Refuge and how new technology can improve success.

Effective Jan. 3, 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will change its policy for the amount of time an establishment under compliance agreement may hold regulated garbage. APHIS is increasing the hold time for these establishments from the current limit of 72 hours to 120 hours.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is celebrating the agency’s many successful efforts to protect American agriculture and natural resources over the past year.

The Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) and the Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP) begin each fiscal year with nominations of veterinary shortage situation areas submitted by State Animal Health Officials (SAHO). The deadline for nomination submissions for FY2022 was November 8, 2021. NIFA received 228 veterinary shortage situation area nominations which are now available for both VMLRP and VSGP applicants to review on the Veterinary Services Shortage Situations Map. [Source: USDA January 4 2022]

USDA has a proven track record of protecting U.S. farmers from foreign animal and plant pests and diseases. [Source: USDA, 9 December 2021, by Jack Shere]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is awarding more than $16.3 million to 64 projects with states, universities, and other partners to strengthen our programs to protect animal health. Ensuring the health of animals helps protect and preserve U.S. export markets and keeping foreign animal diseases out of the U.S. helps us expand export opportunities for rural America to more and better markets. [Source: USDA 9 December 2021]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is issuing a revised Federal Order to allow certain swine products to safely move to the mainland United States from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as long as they meet certain conditions. Movements of live swine and swine germplasm continue to be suspended. [Source: USDA 2 December 2021]

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has begun a new collaborative effort to study antimicrobial use and resistance on commercial swine farms in the Midwest. The work will focus on use and resistance related to animal health and production-related indicators. APHIS is partnering with several animal health and industry organizations on this study. This collaboration could serve as a model for future studies to monitor antimicrobial use and resistance. [Source: USDA 30 November 2021]

Scientists and staff at the Agricultural Research Service have been studying Covid-19 for over a year-and-a-half to ensure that America’s agricultural system is safe. The aim of the research was to confirm that farm animals were not susceptible to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and remove potential concerns of farm animals becoming infected and transmitting the virus to people through direct contact or through agricultural products. Learn more here. [Source: USDA ARS 12 October 2021]