Category Archives: USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced its continued effort to modernize inspection systems through science-based approaches to food safety. USDA is proposing to amend the federal meat inspection regulations to establish a new voluntary inspection system for market hog slaughter establishments called the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System (NSIS), while also requiring additional pathogen sampling for all swine slaughter establishments. [Source: USDA Press, January 19, 2018]

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is recognizing Mexico as free of classical swine fever (CSF). At the request of Mexico’s government, APHIS completed a thorough review, which included updating its initial risk assessment in 2016 following a 2015 site visit. Using this information, APHIS determined that the risk of introducing CSF into the United States through imports of live swine, swine genetics, pork and pork products is very low. These items can safely be imported following the conditions outlined in APHIS’ import regulations, while still protecting the United States against CSF. [Source: USDA, Press release, January 12, 2018]

At the 2017 annual meeting of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV), a biologics company reported SVA contamination in two lots of porcine-derived trypsin. The identification was made by whole genome sequencing and virus isolation. The finding raised concerns with pork industry representatives regarding the possibility of SVA contamination in veterinary biological products, including those already licensed and in commerce. In response, the Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) immediately initiated testing vaccine samples available in the CVB repository that were known to be manufactured using porcine-derived ingredients. The repository contains samples of all vaccines on the market that have current expiration dates. [Source: USDA CVB, December 22, 2017]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today recognized three of its talented employees for being honored as FY 2017 Presidential Rank Awards winners. Jere L. Dick of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) received a Distinguished Rank award, and both Cyril G. Gay and Jerry L. Hatfield of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) received a Meritorious Professional award. [Source: USDA Press Release, December 13, 2017]

As an Iowan, I’m proud of the role our state plays in feeding the world. As a veterinarian and farmer, I am particularly proud of Iowa’s $32 billion animal agriculture industry. It is diverse and likely the most progressive in the world. [Source: Des Moines Register, November 28, 2017 By Pat Halbur]

Feral swine are not native to the Americas. They were first brought to the United States in the 1500s by early explorers and settlers as a source of food. Free-range livestock management practices and escapes from enclosures led to the first establishment of feral swine populations within the United States. In the 1900s, the Eurasian or Russian wild boar was introduced into parts of the United States for the purpose of sport hunting. Today, feral swine are a combination of escaped domestic pigs, Eurasian wild boars, and hybrids of the two. [Source: USDA APHIS]

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) continues to highlight the positive role the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) plays in meeting demand for livestock services and public practice needs in federally designated shortage situations.

Since October 2010, the USDA, in cooperation with State and industry partners, has conducted voluntary surveillance for Influenza A virus in swine (IAV-S) in the US. The program tests samples collected from diagnostic submissions to veterinary diagnostic laboratories. This surveillance is not conducted to define prevalence – the goal is to identify viruses that may be circulating in swine, and gain knowledge to contribute to improved animal health diagnostics and vaccines.

Since October 2010, the USDA, in cooperation with State and industry partners, has conducted voluntary surveillance for Influenza A virus in swine (IAV-S) in the US. The program tests samples collected from diagnostic submissions to veterinary diagnostic laboratories. This surveillance is not conducted to define prevalence – the goal is to identify viruses that may be circulating in swine, and gain knowledge to contribute to improved animal health diagnostics and vaccines.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS) is making the Emerging Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Plan available today. The plan outlines a strategy to detect and respond to emerging animal diseases and define the processes that APHIS will use to identify, evaluate, and respond to emerging diseases in animal populations.