Category Archives: USDA

The (Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program) VMLRP will pay up to $25,000 each year towards qualified educational loans of eligible veterinarians who agree to serve in a NIFA-designated veterinarian shortage situation for a period of three years. The FY2020 Veterinarian Shortage Situations have been posted. The application period has opened, and the applications deadline is April 2, 2020. Learn more at USDA NIFA.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is making it easier for animal diagnostic laboratories to carry out vital livestock disease testing on behalf of the agency. USDA is updating regulations that outline how the agency approves laboratories outside the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) and the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) to conduct official testing for animal diseases, as well as how they can remain approved. USDA will now use a single, user-friendly process for laboratory approval and consolidate the existing regulations into one location. [Source: USDA 23 Jan 2020]

This week is World Antibiotic Awareness Week and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) remains committed to using a “One Health” approach in conducting research that will identify solutions to help prolong the usefulness of a very precious resource–antibiotics. For example, ARS research includes understanding how common production practices might impact antimicrobial resistance and understanding whether certain animal pathogens may be a public health concern. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one bacteria type that is a public health concern because of its resistance to some antibiotics which can make it difficult to treat. MRSA has been found in livestock – mainly in swine. One particular MRSA strain, called ST5, has raised additional public health concerns because it is a major cause of human infections globally. [Source: USDA 20 November 2016]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is establishing an automatic notification system to alert interested stakeholders when country-specific requirements for the export of live animals and animal products change. [Source: USDA 31 October 2019]

Today, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) to address the shortage of agricultural inspectors who protect the nation’s food supply and agricultural industries at the border. The Protecting America’s Food & Agriculture Act of 2019 would ensure the safe and secure trade of agricultural goods across our nation’s borders by authorizing U.S. Customs and Border Protection to hire additional inspectors, support staff and canine teams to fully staff America’s airports, seaports and land ports of entry. [Source: National Hog Farmer 25 October 2019]

The purpose of this site is to guide you quickly through carcass management options for planning or response purposes. The response goal for waste management is to properly dispose of contaminated and potentially contaminated materials, including animal carcasses, as soon as possible while containing pathogens, protecting the environment, ensuring stakeholder acceptance and maximizing cost effectiveness. Visit the Carcass Management Dashboard to learn more and access a carcass management calculator.

Dr. Alfonso Clavijo has been appointed as Director of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), a state-of-the-art U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research and diagnostic facility designed to protect the nation’s agricultural systems and stakeholders against the threat and potential impact of serious animal diseases. [Source: USDA 1 October 2019]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a final rule to modernize swine slaughter inspection and bring it into the 21st century. For the first time in more than five decades, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is modernizing inspection at market hog slaughter establishments with a goal of protecting public health while allowing for food safety innovations. [Source: USDA 17 September 2019]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing the open period to apply for 2019 funding for the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP) and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). The 2018 Farm Bill provided funding for these programs as part of an overall strategy to help prevent animal pests and diseases from entering the United States and to reduce the spread and impact of potential disease incursions through advance planning and preparedness. [Source: USDA 26 August 2019]

Today, the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) for the United States, Dr. Burke Healey, along with the CVO for Canada, Dr. Jaspinder Komal, and the CVO for Mexico, Dr. Juan Gay Gutierrez, issued the following statement about the 18th North American Animal Health Committee Meeting (NAAHC). [Source: USDA 27 August 2019]