WASHINGTON — As a budget reconciliation package is reviewed in the US House and Senate, several measures and programs designed for animal health and the prevention of foreign animal diseases (FADs) have been supported by industry groups.

The Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance and Rapid Response Act was recently introduced by Representatives Ronny Jackson (R-TX), Don Bacon (R-NE), Jim Costa (D-CA), and Don Davis (D-NC) and looks to appropriate money to the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, the National Veterinary Stockpile, and the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank.

Similar proposed legislation was introduced by Senator John Boozman (R-AR), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, as part of its budget reconciliation text.

After the announcement of these proposals, several meat trade associations, including the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), showed strong support for the response to FADs.

“As foreign animal diseases continue to pose serious risks to producers — and the entire food supply chain — this legislation is key to maintaining pork’s safety, security and affordability,” said Duane Stateler, president of NPPC.

The National Turkey Federation also noted the areas it wanted to highlight in the Senate Ag Committee’s budget text.

“Protecting animal health and ensuring effective disease response are critical to the success of American agriculture,” said Leslee Oden, president and chief executive officer of the National Turkey Federation. “As Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and Avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV) continue to affect the turkey industry, now more than ever, Congress must act to protect the tools and funding necessary to bolster the United States’ response to animal disease. The National Turkey Federation applauds Chairman Boozman and the Senate Agriculture Committee for prioritizing this matter in the reconciliation package and urges Congress to act swiftly in passing this legislation to protect the poultry industry’s ability to produce healthy turkeys and provide wholesome, nutritious turkey products to consumers everywhere.”

Cattle health was addressed in the funding as well which received support from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

“A successful farm or ranch starts with healthy cattle, and as cattle producers face increasing risk of a foreign animal disease outbreak, the need for robust cattle health provisions is even more crucial,” said Tanner Beymer, executive director of government affairs for NCBA. “Senate Ag Committee Chairman John Boozman knows how important this issue is and NCBA thanks him for working to protect farmers and ranchers from devastating foreign animal diseases.”

Other stakeholders who showed support for the latest updates to animal health legislation included the American Sheep Industry Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, among others.