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Foreign Animal Disease Prevention
NPPC’s Position
NPPC supports congressional funding of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to fully staff its agricultural inspection program and keep American agriculture safe from foreign animal and plant diseases.
NPPC also urges lawmakers to appropriate funds in fiscal 2023 to hire additional APHIS-VS field staff, provide the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) with its full authorization and increase signage in international terminals at airports to build awareness of foreign animal disease threats.
NPPC also supports passage of S.3678, the “Beagle Brigade Act of 2022,” which will fund the National Detector Dog Training Center.
Background
Foreign animal diseases (also known as FAD) entering the U.S. swine herd, such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease, African Swine Fever (ASF), or Classical Swine Fever, would cause billions in losses and cause export markets to close immediately.
The importation of infected animals or contaminated products is the most likely path for a FAD to enter the country. While the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has the regulatory authority to deny or permit entry into the United States of animals and products, the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforces the USDA rules.
In July 2021, ASF was confirmed in the Dominican Republic and shortly after in Haiti – marking the first time in 40 years that a pig-only disease has been in the Western Hemisphere. The United States established the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)- a recognized protection zone on the neighboring islands of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. If a case of ASF was found on those islands, this protection zone helps limit the negative impact of the trade of pork products from the mainland United States.
NPPC has been actively working with USDA and CBP for years to prevent and prepare for a potential outbreak of ASF. Recovering from a FAD requires significant, costly efforts to depopulate, and dispose of animals.
To prevent and prepare for a potential outbreak of ASF and other FADs from reaching the United States, appropriating funds should:
- Build the capacity of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) field staff to respond to and address an outbreak on the mainland United States or U.S. territories
- Expand the infrastructure and workforce capabilities of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), which conducts surveillance of and testing for FADs
- Increase the capacity of CBP agricultural inspectors at ports of entry to prevent unauthorized meat, animal by-products, and other vectors that can carry ASF from entering the country and infecting U.S. agriculture.
Fast Facts
African Swine Fever
moved through Russia and Eastern Europe in the mid-2000s, was reported in China in August 2018, then spread to several Southeast Asian countries. In July 2021, it was confirmed in the Dominican Republic, then Haiti, the first time in 40 years it has been in the Western Hemisphere.
Outbreaks of foreign animal diseases must be reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and would lead to an immediate loss of export markets.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Classical swine fever and African swine fever (ASF) are highly transmissible diseases.
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