Category Archives: USDA

USDA’s Food Safety & Inspection Service intends to move forward with plans to modernize swine slaughter inspections by way of a “Modernization of Pork Slaughter” rule. The new rule – which has garnered significant industry support – aims to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the federal inspection process and to allow for the rapid adoption of new food safety technologies in pork slaughter. The rule could potentially lead to an increase in U.S. hog slaughter capacity. The rule also calls for certain food safety responsibilities to be shifted from federal inspectors to packing plant workers and could thus lead to faster pork production lines. [National Law Review, June 19, 2017]

If you’ve been following politics lately, you’ve probably heard that Congress is facing ongoing challenges in reaching agreements on spending levels. Lawmakers must navigate a limited budget and many competing priorities for funding, which means they need to make hard decisions and many important programs are at risk for cuts. That’s why the AVMA works hard every year to protect and increase funding for programs related to veterinary priorities. [Source: AVMA@Work, May 8, 2017]

The USDA has posted the Influenza A Virus in Swine Surveillance Fiscal Year 2017 Quarter 1 report to the web for public access. The web address is https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/swine-disease-information/ct_swine_health_monitoring_surveillance

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is very pleased that Secretary Perdue is establishing within USDA an undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, a position that we and others in agriculture fought to get included in the 2014 Farm Bill. [Source: NPPC Press Release, May 11, 2017]

Proposing to carve more than $4 billion out of the Agriculture Department’s budget, the administration’s 2018 spending blueprint fails to recognize agriculture’s current financial challenges or its historical contribution to deficit reduction, according to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. [Source: FB News, May 23, 2017]

The Agriculture appropriations portion of the Omnibus focuses investments in programs that bolster U.S. agriculture, support rural communities, maintain and promote food and drug safety, and provide nutrition for those in need. [Source: House Appropriations Committee]

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today joined President Trump for a “Farmers Roundtable” at the White House to address issues facing the American agriculture community, as the president signed an Executive Order establishing an Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. The roundtable discussion allowed representatives from all corners of American agriculture to raise concerns and share ideas, just as the task force begins its mission “to promote economic development and revitalization, job growth, infrastructure, innovation, and quality of life issues for rural America,” according to the president’s order. The session capped a busy first day in office for Perdue, who was sworn in by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Clarence Thomas as the 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture before greeting employees at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and travelling to the White House for the roundtable. [Source: USDA, April 25, 2017]

From May through August 2017, the USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), in collaboration with the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), will conduct a national study focusing on how antimicrobials are used on swine operations in the United States. The NAHMS Antimicrobial Use on U.S. Swine Operations, 2017 study represents a new data collection and reporting effort for NAHMS, intended to be repeated biennially. In particular, the study will examine antimicrobial use and stewardship practices on swine nursery and grower- finisher facilities with a capacity of at least 1,000 head. [Source: USDA NAHMS]

From May through August 2017, the USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), in collaboration with the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), will conduct a national study focusing on how antimicrobials are used on swine operations in the United States. The NAHMS Antimicrobial Use on U.S. Swine Operations, 2017 study represents a new data collection and reporting effort for NAHMS, intended to be repeated biennially. In particular, the study will examine antimicrobial use and stewardship practices on swine nursery and grower- finisher facilities with a capacity of at least 1,000 head. [Source: USDA NAHMS]

Calling him “very good for America’s farmers and ranchers,” the National Pork Producers Council congratulated former Georgia Gov. George “Sonny” Perdue on his confirmation today by the U.S. Senate as the new Secretary of Agriculture. [Source: NPPC, April 24, 2017]