Category Archives: USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released a video interview with researcher Dr Joan Lunney discussing the role of vaccination and immunity in establishing and maintaining pig health. The video can be viewed on YouTube at pig immune research.

USDA APHIS Veterinary Service has published an Influenza A factsheet. The factsheet contains basic information about Influenza A virus in swine and a Question and Answer section on the Swine Influenza Surveillance Program. The publication is available for viewing or download on the APHIS website.

Veterinary Services is reopening the comment period on the concept paper for A New Approach for Managing Swine Brucellosis and Pseudorabies Virus to allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments. The concept paper describes the agency’s current thinking about changes being considered for the pseudorabies and swine brucellosis programs. (The concept paper can be found by viewing the regulations.gov website as described in the Federal Register notice or by viewing http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/swine/.) Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments before the closing period expires on July 22, 2013. All comments submitted through closing will be considered.

Veterinary Services is reopening the comment period on the concept paper for A New Approach for Managing Swine Brucellosis and Pseudorabies Virus to allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments. The concept paper describes the agency’s current thinking about changes being considered for the pseudorabies and swine brucellosis programs. (The concept paper can be found by viewing the regulations.gov website as described in the Federal Register notice or by viewing http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/swine/.) Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments before the closing period expires on July 22, 2013. All comments submitted through closing will be considered.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been recently added to the Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/vet_biologics/vb_newly_published_info.shtml.

Kevin Shea was appointed Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on June 18, 2013, after serving as Acting Administrator since June 2012. As Administrator, Mr. Shea carries out the agency’s broad mission of protecting and promoting American agriculture, regulating genetically engineered organisms, administering the Animal Welfare Act and carrying out wildlife damage management activities. In addition to his regular duties, Mr. Shea serves on the Secretary’s Executive Resources Board and the Secretary’s Management Council.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is making available a concept paper that describes a revised structure for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) for public review and comment. The NAHLN is a nationally coordinated network and partnership of Federal, State, and university-associated animal health laboratories working to protect animal and public health and the nation’s food supply by providing diagnostic testing aimed at detecting biological threats to the nation’s food animals. The concept paper presents a structure APHIS believes will give the NAHLN increased capacity and flexibility to detect and respond to emerging and zoonotic diseases. APHIS will consider all comments that received on or before June 24, 2013.

Veterinary Services is reopening the comment period on the concept paper for A New Approach for Managing Swine Brucellosis and Pseudorabies Virus to allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments. The concept paper describes the agency’s current thinking about changes being considered for the pseudorabies and swine brucellosis programs. (The concept paper can be found by viewing the regulations.gov website as described in the Federal Register notice or by viewing http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/swine/.) Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments before the closing period expires on July 22, 2013. All comments submitted through closing will be considered.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is making available a concept paper that describes a revised structure for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) for public review and comment. The NAHLN is a nationally coordinated network and partnership of Federal, State, and university-associated animal health laboratories working to protect animal and public health and the nation’s food supply by providing diagnostic testing aimed at detecting biological threats to the nation’s food animals. The concept paper presents a structure APHIS believes will give the NAHLN increased capacity and flexibility to detect and respond to emerging and zoonotic diseases. APHIS will consider all comments that received on or before June 24, 2013.

Veterinary Services is reopening the comment period on the concept paper for A New Approach for Managing Swine Brucellosis and Pseudorabies Virus to allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments. The concept paper describes the agency’s current thinking about changes being considered for the pseudorabies and swine brucellosis programs. (The concept paper can be found by viewing the regulations.gov website as described in the Federal Register notice or by viewing http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/swine/.) Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments before the closing period expires on July 22, 2013. All comments submitted through closing will be considered.