Category Archives: USDA

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]

The 2020 NWRC Accomplishments Report is now available!

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is eliminating the Voluntary Trichinae Certification Program and removing the regulations associated with the program from the Code of Federal Regulations. This program generates little producer participation, and this action is intended to benefit the swine industry by reducing possible confusion about the trichinae-free status of exported products. [Source: USDA 23 September 2021]

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a comprehensive set of investments to address challenges facing America’s agricultural producers. These include assistance to address challenges and costs associated with drought, animal health, market disruptions for agricultural commodities, and school food supply chain issues. Secretary Vilsack also outlined and requested public comments on a new climate partnership initiative designed to create new revenue streams for producers via market opportunities for commodities produced using climate-smart practices. [Source: USDA 29 September 2021]