Senate Passes Beagle Brigade Act, Pork Producers Urge House to Follow Suit

The Senate passed bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) to support the Beagle Brigade, a specialized group of canine units stationed at airports and ports of entry to prevent the spread of devastating foreign animal diseases.

“We need all hands – and paws – on deck to keep our agriculture community safe from foreign animal diseases like avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, and African swine fever,” Ernst said in a release. “The Beagle Brigade is essential to sniffing out items that may harbor these threats, stopping them in their tracks before they can endanger our farms and food supply. As this bipartisan legislation moves forward, we can better support another critical line of defense against harmful diseases, pests, and plants, offering our farmers peace of mind as they work to protect their livestock and crops.”

The Beagle Brigade Act provides statutory authority and reliable funding to the National Detector Dog Training Center, which trains beagles and other skilled dogs to inspect luggage, vehicles, cargo and packages entering the country.

"These four-legged detectives play a vital role in identifying prohibited agricultural items that could introduce harmful pests, invasive plants, or dangerous viruses into the United States," the release says.

The Beagle Brigade of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection bolster national security by performing critically important inspections at ports of entry. The Beagle Brigade Act will secure and strengthen the program, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) shared in a statement.

“American agriculture relies on the National Detector Dog Training Center to prevent the introduction of foreign animal and plant diseases that would cripple our food supply,” Lori Stevermer, NPPC president and pork producer from Easton, Minn., said in a release. “For the pork industry, the ‘Beagle Brigade’ is the first line of defense for keeping threats from foreign animal diseases, like African swine fever, out of the United States. America’s pork producers greatly appreciate Senator Ernst and our Senate champions and urge the House to take this up before the end of the year.”