Fresno Leader

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Jim Costa (CA-21), Ronny Jackson (TX-13), Angie Craig (MN-2), Don Bacon (NE-2), and Don Davis (NC-1) introduced H.R.3419 – The Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act of 2023 to make critical investments for the agriculture industry to help prevent, respond to, and mitigate foreign animal diseases.

“Protecting livestock operations and having the tools to prevent animal disease outbreak is critical to keeping our food supply chain intact. This legislation will boost our nation’s efforts to prevent, detect and respond to animal disease outbreaks that threaten American agriculture and therefore our nation.” said Jim Costa (CA-21).

“Texas’ Thirteenth Congressional District is one of the largest animal agriculture districts in the country. The preventative investments made through this bill will ensure the U.S. Department of Agriculture is able to safeguard our agricultural supply chain and mitigate the effects of foreign animal diseases, if, and when an outbreak occurs in the U.S., rather than playing catch-up after the fact. These programs are the first line of defense, so I’m proud to lead my colleagues in this effort.” said Ronny Jackson (TX-13).

The 2018 Farm Bill funded three essential Animal Disease Prevention and Management programs—the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, and the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank to help bolster the USDA’s prevention, preparedness, and response capabilities for foreign animal diseases.

This bipartisan bill would strengthen these programs and ensure their survivability over the upcoming 5-year Farm Bill period.

This bipartisan bill is supported by the following agricultural stakeholders: American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Producers Council, American Veterinary Medical Association, National Turkey Federation, National Milk Producers Federation, American Sheep Industry Association, Livestock Marketing Association, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association.

Click HERE to read statements of support.

Click HERE to read the full bill text.

Issues: Agriculture

Original source can be found here.