The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) recently submitted written testimony to the U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade about the need for robust customs and border protection keep foreign animal diseases from reaching the U.S. mainland.
With increasing threats like foot and mouth diseases and African swine fever, the pork and other livestock sectors are looking to the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to be the first line of defense at the country’s 328 ports of entry.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, exotic pests and foreign animal diseases cost the U.S. about $140 billion in economic and environmental losses each year.
So NPPC is urging Congress to appropriate funds for the Bureau to continue carrying out its mission.
Plus, NPPC is asking lawmakers to include the Beagle Brigade Act (H.R. 1480 & S.759) in the 2023 Farm Bill. It provides specific congressional authorization and funds for the National detector Dog Training Center in Georgia.