APHIS

For poultry producers, backyard and commercial, "...if you have not recently reviewed your biosecurity plan, now is a really good time to do that," noted Dr. Rosemary Sifford with APHIS. That' warning coming as USDA has confirmed some more wild birds carrying the highly pathogenic avian influenza ...

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Friday announced the withdrawal of a 2016 proposed rule that would have amended the Horse Protection Act regulations. APHIS is making the development of a new and improved proposal a top regulatory priority ...

The Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service seeks public comments on proposed amendments to its import regulations for horses. According to USDA, the proposed amendments would better align regulations with international standards ...

According to researchers, up to 75% of emerging infectious diseases in humans come from animals. And that includes COVID-19. Dr. Mike Watson, Associate Administrator at APHIS, is part of a proposed project just announced recently to create basically an early warning system of possible human disease outbreaks by doing more animal disease surveillance ...

The Department of Agriculture is dedicating $300 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to conduct surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging and zoonotic diseases. The effort aimed at susceptible animals includes building an early warning system to alert public health partners to potential threats so they can take steps sooner to prevent or limit the next global pandemic ...

Last week, Dan Newhouse, Chair of the Congressional Western Caucus, and G.T Thompson, House Ag Committee Republican Leader, wrote a letter to USDA concerning the spread of Little Cherry Disease and its impact on the sweet cherry industry across the U ...

It’s not just farmers that benefit from agricultural innovations, but consumers as well. Rod Bain takes a look. If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com

Did you know the USDA helped keep an important annual U.S.-Irish tradition alive? Stephanie Ho has the story. If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com

The United States has not reported a serious avian influenza outbreak among commercial poultry flocks for four years. So what has the industry and USDA been doing in the meantime?  Dr. Barbara Porter-Spalding, with USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said they keep practicing and keep running exercises and drills to be ready with a response to the next bird flu outbreak; a speedy re

The USDA recently finished a months-long investigation into thousands of reports from citizens who received unsolicited seed packages in the mail last year. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service found no evidence that someone was intentionally trying to harm U ...