APHIS Announces $14.4 Million in Farm Bill Funding to Protect Animal Health

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is awarding $14.4 million to 76 projects with states, universities, and other partners to strengthen our programs to protect animal health.

 

This critical funding supports projects focused on increasing practical livestock biosecurity measures or advancing rapid depopulation and disposal abilities to be used during high- consequence animal disease outbreaks. It will also support projects to enhance early detection of high-consequence animal diseases and improve emergency response capabilities at NAHLN veterinary diagnostic laboratories.

 

“We continue to use our Farm Bill funds to increase our capabilities and prepare for potential foreign animal disease incursions,” said USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach. “Our consultation board and leaders in animal health and laboratory diagnostics provided recommendations for the type of projects we would fund, to make sure we were targeting these funds where they can make the most impact. Our partners across States, laboratories and industry alike will benefit from the projects we are funding today.”

 

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 reduce the spread and impact of potential disease incursions. This is the second year APHIS is providing this Farm Bill funding. Last year, APHIS provided $10.2 million that funded 44 projects.

 

 

APHIS is awarding $9.3 million through the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP). The 46 NADPRP funded projects will individually and collectively address critical livestock biosecurity and large-scale depopulation and carcass disposal concerns in all major livestock industries across all regions of the United States. These projects will be led by State animal health authorities in 16 states,14 land-grant universities and 2 industry/veterinary organizations.

 

The projects will address increasing practical livestock biosecurity measures, as well as advancing rapid depopulation and disposal abilities to be used during high consequence animal disease outbreaks:

 

APHIS is awarding $5.1 million through the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). The 30 NAHLN funded projects will be led by NAHLN laboratories representing 21 states. The projects will help NAHLN enhance early detection of high-consequence animal diseases and improve emergency response capabilities at NAHLN veterinary diagnostic laboratories.

 

Several projects include improving diagnostic testing for high concern diseases, including African swine fever, classical swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza.  This year, 10 of the states are receiving their first Farm Bill funding while 11 states are receiving funds for the second year.