USDA Announces Major Updates in Farm Bill Animal Health Programs, Including $80 Million in New Funding Opportunities

By Abbey Canon

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing major updates to its Farm Bill animal health programs, including increased annual funding and expanded investments made possible through the 2025 Working Families Tax Cuts Act.

Through the Act, annual funding for APHIS’ three Farm Bill animal health programs—the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP), the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), and the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB)—increased from $30 million to $233 million beginning in fiscal year 2026 (FY26). This transformational investment allows APHIS to scale up and modernize its national preparedness efforts and strengthens the nation’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to high‑consequence animal diseases.

“This historic investment gives us the tools we need to protect farmers’ and ranchers’ herds, their livelihoods, and the rural communities they sustain,” said USDA Under Secretary Dudley Hoskins. “Farm security is national security, and with this increased funding, we are strengthening early disease detection, expanding vaccine and diagnostic stockpiles, and backing practical, on‑the‑ground projects that help producers prepare for and respond to the most serious animal disease threats. These programs are about keeping animals healthy, protecting producer livelihoods, and keeping American agriculture strong.”

National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP)

NADPRP helps safeguard U.S. agriculture by funding projects that build federal, state, Tribal, and industry capabilities to prepare for and respond to high-consequence animal diseases, including New World screwworm, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), African swine fever (ASF), and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), as well as emerging threats such as the Asian longhorned tick (ALHT) and Theileria orientalis Ikeda, a parasite transmitted by ALHT that causes a severe and currently untreatable disease in cattle. This work strengthens food security, supports producers, and enhances resilience across rural communities.