Category Archives: USDA

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued an interim rule effective May 19, 2011 to amend the brucellosis regulations concerning the interstate movement of swine by adding Texas to the list of validated brucellosis-free States. APHIS has determined that Texas meets the criteria for classification as a validated brucellosis-free State. This action relieves certain restrictions on the interstate movement of breeding swine from Texas.

USDA wants to hear from stakeholders of the U.S. pork industry to help develop objectives for the fifth national swine study to be conducted by USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) in collaboration with the National Agriculture Statistics Service. Your input is essential if we are to address specific needs and information gaps of those involved in swine production and research. NAHMS provides stakeholders in the private and public sectors with valuable information on disease occurrence and exposure to disease agents, management practices, productivity, knowledge gaps, and other important topics.

USDA wants to hear from stakeholders of the U.S. pork industry to help develop objectives for the fifth national swine study to be conducted by USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) in collaboration with the National Agriculture Statistics Service. Your input is essential if we are to address specific needs and information gaps of those involved in swine production and research. NAHMS provides stakeholders in the private and public sectors with valuable information on disease occurrence and exposure to disease agents, management practices, productivity, knowledge gaps, and other important topics.

USDA wants to hear from stakeholders of the U.S. pork industry to help develop objectives for the fifth national swine study to be conducted by USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) in collaboration with the National Agriculture Statistics Service. Your input is essential if we are to address specific needs and information gaps of those involved in swine production and research. NAHMS provides stakeholders in the private and public sectors with valuable information on disease occurrence and exposure to disease agents, management practices, productivity, knowledge gaps, and other important topics.

In January 2006, USDA implemented a CSF surveillance plan developed by the National Surveillance Unit in States (and Puerto Rico) with a high risk for introduction of CSF. Currently, there are 38 NAHLN Laboratories approved for CSF surveillance testing in addition to the NVSL’s Diagnostic Virology Laboratory. The NVSL’s Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL) located in Plum Island, New York, performs confirmatory testing. Over 33,773 samples have been tested by NAHLN Laboratories since the inception of the program (not including NVSL).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced today that it will be upgrading its national animal health surveillance system, replacing the aging Generic Disease Database system with commercial-off-the shelf software. The agency will use the new software to further its animal health mission.

AASV members Dr. Howard Hill and Dr. Elizabeth Wagstrom were recently named to USDA’s Animal Health Advisory Committee. In addition, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack named the following individuals to serve two-year terms as members of the committee.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending its regulations governing the importation of certain animals and animal products by adding the Brazilian State of Santa Catarina to the list of regions we recognize as free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), rinderpest, swine vesicular disease (SVD), classical swine fever (CSF) and African swine fever (ASF). APHIS is also adding Santa Catarina to the list of regions that are subject to certain import restrictions on meat and meat products because of their proximity to or trading relationships with rinderpest- or FMD-affected countries.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee has completed its fiscal 2011 budget and has cut all funding for the voluntary National Animal Identification System. The subcommittee is charged with budgeting for USDA and the Food and Drug Administration programs.

The ARS H1N1 Flu Virus Research Team, which includes Amy Vincent, Kelly Lager, Kay Faaberg and Marcus Kehrli, ARS Virus and Prion Research Unit, Ames, Iowa; Erica Spackman and David Suarez, ARS Exotic and Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research Unit, Athens, Ga.; and Cyril Gay and Steven Kappes, ARS Office of National Programs, Beltsville, Md., will receive the “Special Administrator’s Award” for outstanding, rapid research support and technology development to assist USDA, cooperating agencies and the U.S. pork industry respond to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu threat.