Released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture …
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing the progress the agency is making to implement programs funded by the 2018 Farm Bill. Today, APHIS is awarding of $ 10.2 million to support disease prevention and emergency response training and exercise projects as well as targeted projects to enhance laboratory diagnostic capability. The agency is also moving forward with developing the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB).
“USDA has always worked best when it collaborates with states, universities, and farmers and ranchers out in the field,” said USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach. “Our Farm Bill programs allow us to continue to strengthen these vital partnerships. Working together, we can further improve our ability to protect U.S. animal health and respond to animal disease events. At the same time, we will continue to ensure we have an effective insurance policy in the extremely rare chance of an outbreak of certain high consequence foreign animal diseases, like foot-and-mouth disease.”
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