USDA Traveler Website Helps Santa and His Elves

APHIS Website Can Help All Gift Givers This Holiday Seasonv The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that representatives from the North Pole were among the visitors checking out the Agency’s new traveler information web page. The site, launched in September 2018, provides everyone with important information about which agricultural items are …

Defending America’s Poultry is a Sustained Effort

USDA is launching a new campaign that highlights the importance of maintaining healthy poultry, be it private or commercial ownership. Stephanie Ho has more information. Defending America’s Poultry is a Sustained Effort Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril 10, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Opportunities That Spark Research ProjectsApril 3, 2026United Dairy Farmers …

New Biosecurity Campaign to Protect Live Poultry

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is launching a new outreach campaign focused on preventing the spread of infectious poultry diseases in both commercial and backyard poultry. Considering the devastating impact of the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak in 2014-2015, as well as this year’s outbreak of virulent Newcastle disease, the timing is right …

USDA Announces Update to National Road Map for Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the first update since 2013 of the National Road Map for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) (PDF, 340 KB). The update culminates a yearlong review by the Federal Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinating Committee (FIPMCC), a joint effort that is coordinated by the Office of Pest Management Policy in the Office of USDA’s Chief Economist with representatives of …

USDA Announces Deregulation of GE Low-Gossypol Cotton

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announces the deregulation of Texas A&M’s cotton variety genetically engineered to have ultra-low levels of gossypol in its seed. Gossypol is a naturally occurring compound in the pigment of cotton plants and protects them from pests and diseases. This GE variety maintains protective levels of gossypol in …

USDA Outlines Next Steps for Advancing Animal Disease Traceability

Greg Ibach, Under Secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs, announced USDA’s four overarching goals for advancing animal disease traceability to protect the long-term health, marketability and economic viability of the U.S. livestock industry. “The landscape surrounding animal disease traceability has changed dramatically in the past decade, and producers across the nation recognize that a comprehensive …

APHIS Finalizes Conditions for Paying Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Indemnity

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is issuing a final rule outlining the conditions under which USDA will pay indemnity to farms affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). It includes updates to USDA’s February 2016 interim rule.  This final rule does three things: Allows indemnity payments to be split between poultry and egg …

USDA Issues Warning of Newcastle Virus to Commercial Poultry

The Department of Agriculture says at least 18 outbreaks of Virulent Newcastle Disease have been confirmed in backyard chickens in Southern California. The outbreaks prompted the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to issue a warning to commercial poultry operations. The infected backyard chickens were found in Los Angeles and San Bernardino in May and June. In the USDA statement, …