EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-1
2021
USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
Agency-Wide ......................................................................................................................................... 22-2
Purpose Statement ............................................................................................................................ 22-2
Lead-off Tabular Statement ........................................................................................................... 22-11
Available Funds and Staff Years................................................................................................... 22-12
Permanent Positions by Grade and Staff Years .......................................................................... 22-14
Vehicle Fleet .................................................................................................................................... 22-15
Shared Funding Projects ................................................................................................................ 22-17
Account 1: Salaries and Expenses ..................................................................................................... 22-19
Lead-Off Tabular Statement .......................................................................................................... 22-19
Appropriations Language ............................................................................................................. 22-19
Project Statement ............................................................................................................................ 22-21
Justifications .................................................................................................................................... 22-26
New Administrative Action .......................................................................................................... 22-76
Geographic Breakdown of Obligations and Staff Years ............................................................ 22-77
Classification by Objects ................................................................................................................ 22-80
Status of Programs .......................................................................................................................... 22-82
Account 2: Buildings and Facilities ................................................................................................ 22-144
Lead-Off Tabular Statement ........................................................................................................ 22-144
Appropriations Language ........................................................................................................... 22-1
44
Project Statement .......................................................................................................................... 22-145
Justification .................................................................................................................................... 22-146
Geographic Breakdown of Obligations and Staff Years .......................................................... 22-147
Classification by Objects .............................................................................................................. 22-148
Status of Programs ........................................................................................................................ 22-150
Summary of Performance ................................................................................................................ 22-152
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-2
AGENCY-WIDE
P
URPOSE STATEMENT
The Secretary of Agriculture established the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) on April 2, 1972, under the authority of Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1953 and other
authorities. The mission of the Agency is to safeguard the health, welfare, and value of
American agriculture and natural resources.
Together with its stakeholders, APHIS promotes the health of animal and plant resources to
facilitate their movement in the global marketplace and to ensure abundant agricultural
products and services for U.S. customers. APHIS also ensures that biotechnology-derived
agricultural products are safe for release in the environment. APHIS strives to assure its
stakeholders that it is on guard against the introduction or re-emergence of animal and plant
pests and diseases that could limit agricultural production and damage export markets. At the
same time, APHIS monitors and responds to invasive species, diseases of wildlife and livestock,
and conflicts between humans and wildlife. The Agency also helps to resolve sanitary (animal)
and phytosanitary (plant) trade barriers and addresses certain issues relating to the humane
treatment of animals.
APHIS’ mission is carried out using three major areas of activity, as follows:
Safeguarding and Emergency Preparedness/Response
In addition to APHIS’ domestic monitoring, APHIS monitors animal and plant health
throughout the world and uses the information to set effective agricultural import policies to
prevent the introduction of foreign animal and plant pests and diseases. APHIS and the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security cooperate to ensure that these policies are enforced at U.S.
ports of entry. These policies prevent the entry of many invasive pests, including crop,
pollinator, woodland, and livestock pests. APHIS also develops and conducts pre-clearance
programs to ensure that foreign agricultural products destined for the United States do not
present a risk to U.S. agriculture. The Agency engages in cooperative programs to control pests
of imminent concern to the United States and to strengthen our relationships with international
animal and plant health regulatory authorities and coordinating bodies. APHIS certifies plants
and plant products for export to other countries and regulates imports and exports of
designated endangered plant species.
Should a pest or disease enter the United States, APHIS works cooperatively with other Federal,
State, and industry partners to conduct animal and plant health monitoring programs to rapidly
determine if there is a need to establish new pest or disease management programs. APHIS, in
conjunction with States, industry, and other stakeholders, protects American agriculture by
eradicating harmful pests and diseases or, where eradication is not feasible, by minimizing their
economic impact. The Agency monitors endemic pests and diseases through surveys to detect
their location and through inspection to prevent their spread into non-affected parts of the
country.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-3
The Agency maintains a cadre of trained professionals prepared to respond immediately to
potential animal and plant health emergencies. Program personnel investigate reports of
suspected exotic pests and diseases and take emergency action if necessary. To facilitate these
efforts, APHIS develops pathway studies and thoroughly investigates outbreaks to determine
the origin of animal and plant pests and diseases and the most appropriate response actions to
take including the development of tools and technologies to help manage these pests. APHIS
also actively engages State, Tribal, and local governments, and industries to advance their
emergency preparedness and response capabilities.
APHIS develops methods to control animals and pests that are detrimental to agriculture,
wildlife, and public safety through its Wildlife Services program. The Agency’s regulatory
structure brings the benefits of genetic technologies to the marketplace, while ensuring they do
not pose a pest risk to plants. APHIS also conducts diagnostic laboratory activities that support
the Agency’s veterinary disease prevention, detection, control, eradication, and response
programs.
Safe Trade and International Technical Assistance
Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures implemented by U.S. trading partners can have a
significant impact on market access for the United States as an exporter of agricultural products.
APHIS plays a central role in resolving technical trade issues to ensure the smooth and safe
movement of agricultural commodities into and out of the United States. APHIS’ role is to
negotiate animal and plant health certification requirements, assist U.S. exporters in meeting
foreign regulatory requirements, ensure requirements are proportional to risk without being
excessively restrictive, and provide any necessary technical information to support the safety of
U.S. agricultural products destined for foreign markets.
APHIS helps to protect the United States from emerging animal and plant pests and diseases
while meeting obligations under the World Trade Organization’s SPS agreement by assisting
developing countries in improving their safeguarding systems. APHIS collaborates with other
Federal agencies including the Foreign Agricultural Service, the U.S. Agency for International
Development, the U.S. State Department, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, to
implement technical and regulatory capacity building projects with shared resources. APHIS
develops and implements programs designed to identify and reduce agricultural pest and
disease threats while still outside of U.S. borders, to enhance safe agricultural trade, and to
strengthen emergency response preparedness.
Animal Welfare
The Agency conducts regulatory activities to ensure the humane care and treatment of certain
animals and horses as required by the Animal Welfare Act of 1966 as amended (7 U.S.C. 2131-
2159), and the Horse Protection Act of 1970 as amended (15 U.S.C. 1821-1831). These activities
include inspection of certain establishments that handle animals intended for research,
exhibition, and sale as pets, and monitoring of certain horse shows.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-4
Statutory Authorities
APHIS operates under the following authorities:
General:
7 U.S.C. 1633 Talmadge-Aiken Act (cooperation with States)
7 U.S.C. 7759 User Fees (for export certification of plants)
21 U.S.C. 136-136a User Fees
31 U.S.C. 9701 User Fees (offsetting collections and miscellaneous
receipts)
7 U.S.C. 3291(a) Authority to provide technical assistance and training
7 U.S.C. 5680 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (reporting
on SPS issues and trade barriers)
7 U.S.C. 5925 Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990
(authorizes funding for national honeybee pest survey)
7 U.S.C. 2279g Marketing Services; cooperative agreements
Animal Health:
7 U.S.C. 8301-8317 Animal Health Protection Act
49 U.S.C. 80502 28-Hour Law (feed, water, and rest for animals)
19 U.S.C. 1202, Part I, Purebred animal duty-free entry
Item 100.01
7 U.S.C. 1622 Section 203 of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946
7 U.S.C. 1624 Section 205 of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946
7 U.S.C. 398 Section 101(d) of the Organic Act of l944
7 U.S.C. 3801-3813 Swine Health Protection Act
7 U.S.C. 851-855 Anti-hog cholera serum and hog cholera virus
7 U.S.C. 2274 Firearms (tick inspectors)
7 U.S.C. 1901 note Transportation of Equines to Slaughter
21 U.S.C. 151-159 Virus-Serum-Toxin Act
21 U.S.C. 113a Authority to establish research facilities for Foot-and-
Mouth and other diseases
21 U.S.C. 618 Section 18 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, as amended,
as it pertains to the issuance of certificates of condition of
live animals for export
7 U.S.C. 8401 and 8411 Title II, Subtitles B and C of the Public Health Security and
Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002
7 U.S.C. 8318 Section 10504 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment
Act of 2002 (training of accredited veterinarians)
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-5
Plant Health:
7 U.S.C. 7701-7772; Plant Protection Act
and 7781-7786
7 U.S.C. 1581-1610 Title III, Federal Seed Act
7 U.S.C. 2801 note; 2814 Federal Noxious Weed Act
7 U.S.C. 281-286 Honeybee Act
7 U.S.C. 7760 Terminal Inspection Act
7 U.S.C. 2279e and 2279f Title V of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000
(penalties for interfering with inspection animals)
16 U.S.C. 1531-1544 Endangered Species Act (plants)
16 U.S.C. 3371-3378 Lacey Act (importation or shipment of injurious
mammals, birds, fish)
7 U.S.C. 8401 Title II, Subtitle B of the Public Health Security and
Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002
39 U.S.C. 3015 Alien Species Prevention and Enforcement Act of 1992
Wildlife Services:
7 U.S.C. 8351-8354 Control of predatory and other wild animals
Animal Welfare:
7 U.S.C. 2131-2159 Animal Welfare Act
15 U.S.C. 1821-1831 Horse Protection Act
There were 5,489 permanent full-time employees as of September 30, 2019. Of the total, 1,203
full-time employees were located at headquarters. APHIS manages programs on a national
basis through two regional offices and 431 field offices, including area offices, work stations,
technical centers, and animal import centers. APHIS conducts much of its work in cooperation
with State and local agencies, private groups, and foreign governments. APHIS performs work
in the 50 States, Washington, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Mexico, Central America,
South America, the Caribbean, Western Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Each year, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Government Accountability Office
(GAO) audits selected programs to examine the efficiency of the programs and operations
including program results, compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and fair
presentation of financial reports. Audits in which APHIS has been involved during FYs 2019 –
2020 include those listed below.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-6
OIG and GAO Reports
Completed OIG Reports
ID
Date
Title
Result
33099-01-23
05/2018
Texas Boll Weevil
Eradication
Foundation Grant
OIG report was issued with 6 recommendations.
APHIS implemented one recommendation.
APHIS is in the process of implementing the
5 remaining recommendations.
33601-01-31
33601-01-41
50099-03-21
50601-01-32
50601-04-31
05/2017
12/2014
09/2018
11/2013
03/2016
Animal Welfare
Act – Marine
Mammals
APHIS Oversight
of Research
Facilities
USDA’s
Management
over the Misuse
of Government
Vehicles
Controls Over
APHIS’
Introduction of
Genetically
Engineered
Organisms
USDA Response
to Antibiotic
Resistance
OIG report was issued with 6 recommendations.
APHIS has implemented all 6 recommendations.
Audit is officially closed.
OIG report was issued with 15
recommendations. Of the 15 recommendations,
14 recommendations are closed.
Recommendation #15 is still pending
implementation and will remain open until
APHIS revises Form #7023 and develops related
guidance.
Audit includes APHIS and other USDA
Agencies. Audit work is on-going.
OIG report was issued with 13 recommendations.
APHIS implemented and received official closure
on 11 of the 13 recommendations.
Recommendations #2 and 8 are pending
implementation. Recommendation #8 is related
to the e-File system. Once the e-File pilot launch
is completed, APHIS will submit its closure
requests.
OIG report was issued with 6 of the 19
recommendations for APHIS. All 6 APHIS
related recommendations have been
implemented. Audit is officially closed.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-7
ID
Date
Title
Result
50601-08-TE
50701-01-21
12/2005
09/2018
Controls Over
APHIS Issuance
of Genetically
Engineered
Organisms
Release Permits
USDA Activities
for Agro-
terrorism
Prevention,
Detection and
Response
OIG report was issued with 28 recommendations.
Of the recommendations, 25 are closed.
Recommendations #1-3 remain open, until the
publication of the final rule.
OIG report was issued with 5 recommendations
for APHIS. APHIS is in process of implementing
the recommendations.
In-Progress OIG Reports
ID
Title
33601-01-21
33601-02-31
33601-03-23
33601-04-23
33701-01-21
33701-01-AT
50501-17-12
50501-21-12
Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention
Program - Audit started November 2019.
Animal Care Program Oversight of Dog Breeders - Audit
started September 2019.
Follow-up on APHIS Controls Over Licensing of Animal
Exhibitors - Audit will start December 2019.
Follow-Up on Smuggling, Interdiction and Trade
Compliance - Audit started November 2019.
National Veterinary Stockpile Oversight - Audit started
August 2018.
Controls Over Select Agents - Audit started October 2019.
Security Over Select USDA Agencies’ Networks and Systems –
Audit started January 2018.
Data Encryption Controls Over Personally Identifiable
Information on USDA Information Technology Systems- Audit
started May 2018.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-8
Completed GAO Reports
ID
Date
Title
Result
100267
101016
101657
101732
101985
03/2017
10/2017
05/2018
08/2018
05/2018
Federal Actions
to Monitor and
Control Antibiotic
Resistance in
Food and Animals
Comparative
Oversight of
High-
Containment
Laboratories
Financial
Rewards for
Reporting
Illegal Activities
Related to Plants,
Wildlife, and
Antiquities
Federal Grants
Workforce
Training
Multilateral
Organizations
Animal
Use in Federal
Research:
Agencies Share
Information, but
Reporting and
Data
Quality Could Be
Strengthened
Audit includes APHIS and other USDA and non-
USDA agencies. GAO report was issued with
one recommendation with 3 parts for APHIS.
APHIS has implemented two parts, and is in the
process of implementing the remaining part of
the recommendation.
Audit includes APHIS and other non-USDA
agencies. GAO report was issued with 6
recommendations for APHIS. APHIS has
implemented 3 recommendations, and is in the
process of implementing the other 3
recommendations.
Audit report was issued May 2018. No
recommendations were made for APHIS. The
report is officially closed.
Audit report was issued August 2018. No
recommendations were made for APHIS. The
report officially closed.
Audit report was issued with 4
recommendations for APHIS. APHIS
implemented 1 recommendation and is in the
process of implementing the remaining 3
recommendations.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-9
ID
Date
Title
Result
102051
102509
102874
291264
361562
361589
05/2019
03/2017
09/2019
03/20166
05/2015
04/2016
USDA’s
Preparedness for
Foot-and-Mouth
Disease
Federal
Preparedness for
Responding to
Antimicrobial-
Resistant
Pathogens
Federal
Government’s
Efforts to Develop,
Validate, and
Promote
Alternatives to the
Use of Animals in
Research, Testing
and Training
High-Containment
Laboratories:
Comprehensive
and Up-to-Date
Policies and
Stronger Oversight
Mechanisms
Needed to Improve
Safety
Federal
Veterinarian
Workforce
Genetically
Engineered
Crops
The report was issued May 2019 with 2
recommendations for APHIS. APHIS is in the
process of implementing the 2 recommendations.
APHIS is no longer part of this audit. Thus
audit/report is officially closed for APHIS.
The report was issued September 2019 with no
recommendations for APHIS. The report is
officially closed for APHIS.
Audit report was issued with 5
recommendations.
APHIS has implemented all recommendations
and is awaiting final closure from GAO. In
February 2019, GAO requested additional
information from agencies. In March 2019,
APHIS provided GAO with the additional
information requested for the final closure on
recommendations.
The audit includes the Office of Personnel
Management. GAO report was issued with 1
recommendation for APHIS. APHIS
implemented the recommendation. Report is
officially closed.
The audit includes APHIS and USDA’s National
Agricultural Statistics Service. GAO report was
issued with 3 recommendations for APHIS.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-10
ID
Date
Title
Result
460640
09/2016
Improved
Oversight of
Dangerous
Pathogens
Needed to
Mitigate Risk
APHIS is in process of implementing the three
recommendations.
GAO report was issued with 5 recommendations
for APHIS and several non-USDA Agencies.
APHIS has implemented 4 recommendations.
APHIS will coordinate to implement the
remaining recommendation.
In-Progress GAO Reports
ID
Title
102432
102916
102947
103085
103113
103335
103549
Federal Efforts in Environmental Justice - Audit started November
2017.
Federal Cybersecurity Requirements and Assessments for State
Programs - Audit started August 2018.
National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility Operations Transfer - Audit
started July 2018.
U.S. Postal Service’s Delivery Network - Audit started May 2019.
National Biodefense Strategy - Audit started November 2018.
USDA Business Centers - Audit started February 2018.
Federal Government’s Use of Internet of Things Technologies. Audit
will start December 2019.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-11
LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENT
2020 Appropriations................................................................................................................................... $1,045,886,000
Change in Appropriation........................................................................................................................... -10,324,000
2021 Request, Current Law........................................................................................................................ 1,035,562,000
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-12
AVAILABLE FUNDS AND STAFF YEARS
Item
2018
Actual
SY
2019
Actual
SY
2020
Enacted
SY
2021
Budget
SY
Salaries and Expenses:
Discretionary Appropriations $981,893 4,827 $1,011,136 4,869 $1,042,711 4,969 $1,032,988 4,983
Citrus Greening a/ 7,500 - 8,500 - 8,500 - - -
Subtotal Discretionary Funding 989,393 4,827 1,019,636 4,869 1,051,211 4,969 1,032,988 4,983
Mandatory Funding:
Farm Bill - Section 7721 70,050 26 70,350 26 70,575 26 75,000 26
Farm Bill - Section 12101 - - 120,000 30 - - - -
Farm Bill - Section 2408 - - 37,500 200 - - - -
Agricultural Quarantine Inspection User Fees:
Total Collections 796,584 1,325 826,724 1,325 844,258 1,325 894,656 1,325
Buildings and Facilities:
Discretionary Appropriations 3,175 - 3,175 - 3,175 - 2,574 -
Trust Funds:
Mandatory Appropriations 9,514 50 8,471 50 9,005 50 9,000 50
Foreign Service National Separation Liability Trust 157 - 2,778 - 400 - 400 -
Transfers Out -539,000 - -539,000 - -582,187 - -582,187 -
Adjusted Appropriation 1,329,873 6,228 1,549,634 6,500 1,396,437 6,370 1,432,431 6,384
Balance Available, SOY 415,469 498 457,880 516 599,199 996 580,219 935
Other Adjustments (Net) 36,492 - -9,474 - - - - -
Total Available 1,781,835 6,726 1,998,040 7,016 1,995,636 7,366 2,012,650 7,319
Lapsing Balances -4,221 -498 -333 -365 - - - -
Transferred Balances - - 6,492 - - - - -
Balance Available, EOY -457,880 -516 -599,199 -996 -580,219 -935 -561,885 -928
Subtotal Obligations, APHIS 1,319,734 5,712 1,405,000 5,655 1,415,417 6,431 1,450,765 6,391
Obligations Under Other USDA Appropriations:
Agricultural Marketing Service 9,819 - 23,823 - 23,800 - 23,800 -
Agricultural Research Service 4,889 - 36,378 - 36,400 - 30,400 -
Departmental Administration 80 - 9 - - - - -
Food Safety and Inspection Service 364 - - - - - - -
Foreign Agricultural Service 4,757 - 5,774 - 5,800 - 5,800 -
Forest Service 697 - 333 - 300 - 300 -
National Appeals Division 7 - - - - - - -
National Institute of Food and Agriculture 106 - - - - - - -
Natural Resources Conservation Service 11 - - - - - - -
Office of Chief Financial Officer 145 - - - - - - -
Office of the Chief Information Officer 84 - - - - - - -
Office of the Secretary 24 - - - - - - -
Risk Management Agency 42 - - - - - - -
Total, Other USDA 21,025 - 66,317 - 66,300 - 60,300 -
Total, Agriculture Appropriations 1,340,759 5,712 1,471,317 5,655 1,481,717 6,431 1,511,065 6,391
Other Federal Funds:
DOD, U.S. Air Force 11,096 - 17,195 - 17,200 - 17,200 -
DOD, Air National Guard 2,947 - 70 - 100 - 100 -
DOD, U.S. Navy 4,810 - 4,407 - 4,400 - 4,400 -
DOD, U.S. Marine Corps 2,133 - 1,227 - 1,200 - 1,200 -
DOD, U.S. Army 1,365 - 2,150 - 2,100 - 2,100 -
DOD, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers 1,687 - 1,789 - 1,800 - 1,800 -
DOD, Defense Threat Reduction Agency 76 - 21 - 20 - 20 -
Department of Energy 190 - 239 - 200 - 200 -
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(Dollars in Thousands)
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-13
Item
2018
Actual
SY
2019
Actual
SY
2020
Enacted
SY
2021
Budget
SY
Department of Health and Human Services 104 - 22 - 20 - 20 -
DHS: for Coast Guard and other services and support 394 - 1,126 - 1,100 - 1,100 -
Federal Emergency Management Agency 332 - 9,160 - 300 - 300 -
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 347 - 216 - 200 - 200 -
USDOI, Geological Survey, National Park Service,
Office of Insular Affairs 1,401 - 1,808 - 1,800 - 1,800 -
USDOI, Bureau of Land Management & Reclamation:
for administrative and technical support 471 - 639 - 600 - 600 -
USDOI, Fish and Wildlife Services:
for natural resources and endangered species 2,479 - 2,402 - 2,400 - 2,400 -
USDOT: Federal Aviation Administration 857 - 1,022 - 1,000 - 1,000 -
Department of State:
for miscellaneous services 3 - - - - - - -
Department of Veterans Affairs 24 - 81 - 100 - 100 -
Environmental Protection Agency - - - - - - - -
for miscellaneous services 1,034 - 1,499 - 1,500 - 1,500 -
GSA: for miscellaneous services 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 -
Other Federal Funds 251 411 788 418 800 410 800 410
Total, Other Federal 32,003 411 45,863 418 36,842 410 36,842 410
Non-Federal Funds:
Funds from organizations, states, and local entities for
wildlife, plant, and animal services support 58,001 636 64,447 660 64,400 665 64,400 665
Im port-Export User Fees 42,569 336 44,411 353 44,455 355 44,500 355
Phytosanitary Certificate User Fees 18,983 137 19,282 139 19,301 140 19,321 140
Reimbursable Overtim e 9,379 83 9,074 88 9,083 90 9,092 90
Veterinary Diagnostics User Fees 6,319 54 6,689 54 6,696 60 6,702 60
Other User Fees 3 - 2 - 2 - 2 -
Total, Non-Federal 135,254 1,246 143,905 1,294 143,937 1,310 144,017 1,310
Total, APHIS 1,508,016
7,369 1,661,085 7,367 1,662,496 8,151 1,691,924 8,111
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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PERMANENT POSITIONS BY GRADE AND STAFF YEAR
Item
Hdqts Field
2018
Actual
Total
Hdqts Field
2019
Actual
Total
Hdqts Field
2020
Enacted
Total
Hdqts Field
2021
Budget
Total
SES
26 10 36 28 9 37 29 10 39 29 10 39
GS-15 77 59 136 78 67 145 82 63 145 82 63 145
GS-14 333 290 623 338 299 637 340 306 646 340 323 663
GS-13 284 507 791 289 541 830 312 525 837 313 548 861
GS-12 200 974 1,174 208 981 1,189 318 995 1,313 322 1,016 1,338
GS-11 95 769 864 93 761 854 99 785 884 102 769 871
GS-10 - 8 8 1 8 9 1 12 13 1 12 13
GS-9 70 451 521 72 417 489 72 467 539 75 469 544
GS-8 7 259 266 10 256 266 10 265 275 10 274 284
GS-7 61 597 658 53 561 614 62 600 662 62 602 664
GS-6 8 155 163 5 185 190 8 155 163 8 161 169
GS-5 7 103 110 8 68 76 8 105 113 8 105 113
GS-4 15 18 33 7 21 28 15 18 33 15 18 33
GS-3 3 14 17 - 11 11 3 14 17 3 14 17
GS-2 - - - - - - - - - - - -
GS-1 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Other Graded 15 109 124 13 101 114 15 112 127 15 112 127
Ungraded - - - - - - - - - - - -
Total Perm. FT EOY 1,201 4,323 5,524 1,203 4,286 5,489 1,374 4,432 5,806 1,385 4,496 5,881
Staff Year Est 1,434 5,935 7,369 1,434 5,933 7,367 1,549 6,602 8,151 1,541 6,570 8,111
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-15
SIZE, COMPOSITION, AND ANNUAL COSTS OF VEHICLE FLEET
Motor Vehicle Fleet
APHIS uses vehicles to deliver mission critical services. The Agency’s veterinarians, animal
health technicians, inspectors, plant protection and quarantine officers, wildlife biologists, and
other technical personnel use motor vehicles in their daily responsibilities, which entail travel
between inspection sites, farms, ranches, ports, nurseries, and other commercial firms. In some
cases, APHIS’ cooperators use Agency vehicles as authorized in program cooperative
agreements.
To maximize the life span of vehicles, operators are required to keep historical maintenance
records and submit the vehicles’ operational and cost data for review and report on the
vehicle’s condition and usage statistics at least once a year. Periodic maintenance surveys and
reviews of consolidated vehicle fleet data ensure optimal use of each vehicle in the fleet.
Replacement Criteria
APHIS replaces vehicles in accordance with Title 41, CFR § 102–34.270. Agency programs
replace and retire vehicles using data on utilization, age, condition, and funding
availability. The average age of APHIS’ vehicle fleet is six years. APHIS has implemented efforts
to both increase the number of alternative fuel vehicles and extend the life cycle of each vehicle.
Reductions to Fleet
APHIS ended FY 2019, with 4,463 vehicles (leased and owned), which is a reduction of 132
vehicles. The projected number of vehicles for FY 2020 and FY 2021 continue to reduce because
the agency plans to purchase replacement vehicles, only. Fleet additions are determined and
approved on a case-by-case basis by the Deputy Administrator for Marketing and Regulatory
Programs Business Services.
Size, Composition, and Annual Costs of Motor Vehicle Fleet
a
a
Vehicle count includes those owned by agency and leased from commercial sources or GSA.
b
Excludes acquisition costs and gains from sale of vehicles as shown in FAST.
Fiscal
Year
Sedans
and
Station
Wagons
Lt. SUVs
and Vans
Lt. Trucks
(4x2)
Lt. Trucks
(4x4)
Medium Duty
Vehicles
Heavy
Duty
Vehicles
Total
Vehicles
Annual
Operating
Costs
b
2018 246 1,073 272 2,092 896 16 4,595 $19,466
Change -26 -42 -24 -46 +8 -2 -132 -153
2019 220 1,031 248 2,046 904 14 4,463 19,313
Change -43 -16 -1 -28 -1 - -89 -193
2020 177 1,015 247 2,018 903 14 4,374 19,120
Change -12 -15 -9 -16 - - -52 -191
2021 165 1,000 238 2,002 903 14 4,322 18,929
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-16
Aircraft
APHIS uses aircraft to conduct mission critical activities such as aerial resource and surveillance
surveys, aerial application tests, equipment demonstration and testing, implementation of
methods for the control and/or eradication of destructive plant pests or wildlife to reduce
damage to agricultural crops, among others.
The annual appropriations act provides APHIS with authority to acquire up to five aircraft of
which two shall be for replacement. The agency replaces aircraft when necessary to maintain
fleet safety and efficient operating conditions.
The APHIS aircraft fleet consists of 71 aircraft of which there are 7 operable aircraft for domestic
plant pest and disease management programs, and 64 aircraft used for the wildlife damage
management programs. Of the 64 aircraft used for the wildlife damage management
programs: 58 are owned, 4 are borrowed from State cooperators, and 2 are rented. Of the 58
owned aircraft, 5 of them are non-operational. APHIS uses the non-operational aircraft for
parts.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-17
SHARED FUNDING (dollars in thousands)
Item
2018
Actual
2019
Actual
2020
Enacted
2021
Budget
Working Capital Fund:
Administrative Services:
Material Management Service Center............................................. $858
$981 $880 $893
Mail and Reproduction Services...................................................... 208 173 171 178
Integrated Procurement Systems.................................................... 1,655 1,602 1,605 1,605
Procurement Operations Division.................................................. 40 51 75 60
Human Resources Enterprise System Management....................... 105 106 120 126
Subtotal........................................................................................ 2,866 2,913 2,851 2,862
Communications:
Creative Media and Broadcast Center............................................. 654 48 333 237
Finance and Management:
National Finance Center................................................................. 2,425 2,216 2,130 1,988
Financial Shared Services................................................................ 7,059 9,803 12,085 11,339
Internal Control Support Services................................................... 153 118 150 124
Subtotal........................................................................................ 9,637 12,137 14,365 13,451
Information Technology:
Client Experience Center................................................................ 3,571 4,671 20,089
29,575
Department Administration Information Technology Office ........ - - 10 10
Digital Infrastructure Services Center............................................. 12,389 6,981 10,901 10,632
Enterprise Network Services........................................................... 1,503 3,428 7,369 7,514
Subtotal........................................................................................ 17,463 15,080 38,369 47,731
Correspondence Management Services............................................. 953 1,371 1,379
1,479
Total, Working Capital Fund.......................................................... 31,573 31,549 57,297 65,760
Department-Wide Shared Cost Programs:
1890's USDA Initiatives.................................................................... - - - -
Advisory Committee Liaison Services............................................... 5 5
6 6
Agency Partnership Outreach........................................................... 580 590 614 614
Classified National Security Information.......................................... - - -
-
Continuity of Operations Planning................................................... - - -
-
Emergency Operations Center.......................................................... - - - -
Facility and Infrastructure Review and Assessment..........................
- - - -
Faith-Based Initiatives and Neighborhood Partnerships................... - -
-
-
Hispanic-Serving Institutions National Program.............................. - - - -
Honor Awards.................................................................................. 2 1 1
1
Human Resources Self-Service Dashboard........................................ 45 46 47 -
Human Resources Transformation................................................... 69 - - -
Identity Access Management............................................................ - - - -
Intertribal Technical Assistance Network.......................................... - - - -
Medical Services................................................................................ 8 7
4
-
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-18
Item
2018
Actual
2019
Actual
2020
Enacted
2021
Budget
Office of Customer Experience.......................................................... 149 199 234 234
People's Garden................................................................................ 37 - - -
Personnel Security Branch................................................................ 204 189 194 194
Physical Security............................................................................... - - 460 333
Pre-authorizing Funding................................................................... - - - -
Retirement Processor/Web Application............................................. - - - -
Security Detail.................................................................................. 344 331 363 363
Security Operations........................................................................... 807 806 456 498
TARGET Center............................................................................... 102 94 91 91
USDA Enterprise Data Analytics Services........................................ - - 424 424
Virtual University............................................................................. 78 - - -
Total, Department Shared Cost Programs...................................... 2,430 2,268 2,894 2,758
E-Gov:
Budget Formulation and Execution Line of Business........................ 6 6 6 7
Disaster Assistance Improvement Plan............................................. - - - -
Enterprise Human Resources Integration.......................................... 142 142 - -
E-Rulemaking................................................................................... 69 57 81 81
E-Training......................................................................................... - - - -
Financial Management Line of Business........................................... 10 10 10 10
Geospatial Line of Business............................................................... 13 13 13 13
GovBenefits.gov................................................................................ - - - -
Grants.gov........................................................................................ 1 1 - -
Human Resources Line of Business................................................... 22 22 22 22
Integrated Acquisition Environment................................................. 138 149 101 101
Total, E-Gov................................................................................... 401 400 233 234
Agency Total................................................................................ 34,404 34,217 60,424 68,752
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-19
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENT
APPROPRIATIONS LANGUAGE
The appropriations language follows (new language underscored; deleted matter enclosed in
brackets):
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
For necessary expenses of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, including
up to $30,000 for representation allowances and for expenses pursuant to the Foreign
Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4085), [1,042,711,000]$1,032,988,000, of which
[$470,000]$484,000, to remain available until expended, shall be available for the control
of outbreaks of insects, plant diseases, animal diseases and for control of pest animals
and birds ("contingency fund") to the extent necessary to meet emergency conditions;
of which [$11,520,000]$11,659,000, to remain available until expended, shall be used for
the cotton pests program, including cost share purposes or for debt retirement for
active eradication zones; of which [$37,857,000]$42,285,000, to remain available until
expended, shall be for Animal Health Technical Services; of which [$1,000,000]$721,000
shall be for activities under the authority of the Horse Protection Act of 1970, as
amended (15 U.S.C. 1831); of which [$62,840,000]$63,517,000, to remain available until
expended, shall be used to support avian health; of which $4,251,000, to remain
available until expended, shall be for information technology infrastructure; of which
[$192,013,000]$183,079,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for specialty
crop pests; of which, [$13,826,000]$12,037,000, to remain available until expended, shall
be for field crop and rangeland ecosystem pests; of which [$16,523,000]$16,699,000, to
remain available until expended, shall be for zoonotic disease management; of which
[$40,966,000]$41,512,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for emergency
preparedness and response; of which [$60,000,000]$56,336,000, to remain available until
expended, shall be for tree and wood pests; of which [$5,725,000]$5,744,000, to remain
available until expended, shall be for the National Veterinary Stockpile; of which up to
$1,500,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for the scrapie program for
indemnities; of which $2,500,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for the
wildlife damage management program for aviation safety: Provided, That of amounts
available under this heading for wildlife services methods development, $1,000,000
shall remain available until expended: Provided further, That of amounts available under
this heading for the screwworm program, $4,990,000 shall remain available until
expended; of which [$20,800,000]$20,252,000, to remain available until expended, shall
be used to carry out the science program and transition activities for the National Bio
and Agro-Defense Facility located in Manhattan, Kansas: [Provided further, That of the
2020 Appropriations.................................................................................................................... $1,042,711,000
Change in Appropriation............................................................................................................ -9,723,000
2021 Request, Current Law......................................................................................................... 1,032,988,000
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-20
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
amounts avaialble to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for the National
Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, no funds may be obligated above the amount provided
for the facility in Public Law 116-6 until the Secretary of Agriculture submits to the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress, and recieves written or
electronic notification of receipt from such Committees, a strategic plan as required in
House Report 116-107:] Provided further, That no funds shall be used to formulate or
administer a brucellosis eradication program for the current fiscal year that does not
require minimum matching by the States of at least 40 percent: Provided further
, That
this appropriation shall be available for the purchase, replacement, operation, and
maintenance of aircraft: Provided further, That in addition, in emergencies which
threaten any segment of the agricultural production industry of the United States, the
Secretary may transfer from other appropriations or funds available to the agencies or
corporations of the Department such sums as may be deemed necessary, to be available
only in such emergencies for the arrest and eradication of contagious or infectious
disease or pests of animals, poultry, or plants, and for expenses in accordance with
sections 10411 and 10417 of the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8310 and 8316)
and sections 431 and 442 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7751 and 7772), and any
unexpended balances of funds transferred for such emergency purposes in the
preceding fiscal year shall be merged with such transferred amounts: Provided further,
That appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the
repair and alteration of leased buildings and improvements, but unless otherwise
provided the cost of altering any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10
percent of the current replacement value of the building.
In fiscal year [2020]2021, the agency is authorized to collect fees to cover the total costs
of providing technical assistance, goods, or services requested by States, other political
subdivisions, domestic and international organizations, foreign governments, or
individuals, provided that such fees are structured such that any entity's liability for
such fees is reasonably based on the technical assistance, goods, or services provided to
the entity by the agency, and such fees shall be reimbursed to this account, to remain
available until expended, without further appropriation, for providing such assistance,
goods, or services.
The first change (lines 3, 4, 7, 9-10, 12, 15-17, 19-21 and 29) delete 2020 appropriation amounts
and replace it with the 2021 requests.
The second change (lines 31-37) deletes the language restricting the use of FY 2020
appropriations above the FY 2019 level for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility until
USDA has submitted the ten-year NBAF strategic plan to Congress.
The third change (line 56) in language deletes 2020 and replaces it with 2021.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-21
PROJECT STATEMENT
Chg
Key
Program/Activity B.A. SY
B.A.
SY
B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A.
SY
Direct Appropriations:
Safeguarding and Emergency Preparedness/Response
Animal Health Technical Services.................................................................................. $37,857 156
$37,857 156 $37,857 156 $42,285 165 (1) $4,428 9
Aquatic Animal Health.................................................................................................. 2,253 13
2,253 13 2,253 13 2,289 13 (2) 36 0
Avian Health.................................................................................................................. 62,840
247 62,840 247 62,840 247 63,517 247 (3)
677 0
Cattle Health.................................................................................................................. 96,500 473 96,500 473 104,500 508 97,797 473 (4) -6,703 -35
Equine, Cervid & Small Ruminant Health.................................................................... 20,000 120 20,800 120 26,500 120
21,129 120 (5) -5,371
0
National Veterinary Stockpile......................................................................................... 5,725 $7 5,725 7 5,725 7 5,744 7 (6) 19
0
Swine Health.................................................................................................................. 24,800 146
24,800 146 24,800 146
25,200 146 (7) 400
0
Veterinary Biologics........................................................................................................ 16,417 101 16,417
101 17,417 108
20,694 128 (8) 3,277 20
Veterinary Diagnostics.................................................................................................... 39,540 151 50,140 158 57,340 172
52,063
172 (9) -5,277 0
Zoonotic Disease Management....................................................................................... 16,523
64 16,523 64 16,523 64 16,699 64 (10) 176 0
Subtotal, Animal Health.............................................................................................. 322,455
1,478 333,855 1,485 355,755 1,541
347,417 1,535 -8,338 -6
Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (Appropriated)....................................................... 31,330 372 32,330 372 32,330 372
33,350 372 (11) 1,020
0
Cotton Pests.................................................................................................................... 11,520
51
11,520 51 11,520 51 11,659 51 (12) 139 0
Field Crop & Rangeland Ecosystems Pests...................................................................... 9,326
77 11,826 77
13,826 77 12,037 77
(13) -1,789 0
Pest Detection................................................................................................................. 27,446 190
27,446
190 27,446 190 27,967 190 (14) 521 0
Plant Protection Methods Development......................................................................... 20,686 131 20,686 131 20,686 131
21,045 131 (15) 359 0
Specialty Crop Pests........................................................................................................ 178,170 718
186,013 753 192,013 793 183,079 784 (16) -8,934
-9
Tree & Wood Pests.......................................................................................................... 56,000 301 60,000 301
60,000 301
56,336
291 (17)
-3,664 -10
Subtotal, Plant Health.................................................................................................. 334,478 1,840 349,821 1,875 357,821 1,915 345,473 1,896
-12,348 -19
Wildlife Damage Management....................................................................................... 108,376 589 108,376 589 109,756 589 109,991 589 (18) 235 0
Wildlife Services Methods Development......................................................................... 18,856 125 18,856 125 18,856 125 19,199 125 (19) 343 0
Subtotal, Wildlife Services............................................................................................ 127,232 714 127,232 714 128,612 714 129,190 714
578
0
Animal & Plant Health Regulatory Enforcement........................................................... 16,224 116 16,224 116 16,224 116 16,542 116 (20) 318 0
Biotechnology Regulatory Services.................................................................................. 18,875 96
18,875 96 18,875 96 27,638 139 (21)
8,763 43
Subtotal, Regulatory Services....................................................................................... 35,099 212 35,099 212 35,099 212 44,180 255 9,081 43
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Salaries and Expenses
(Dollars in Thousands)
2018
Actual
2019
Actual
2020
Enacted
Budget Request
2020 Enacted
2021
Change from
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-22
Chg
Key
Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Salaries and Expenses
(Dollars in Thousands)
2018
Actual
2019
Actual
2020
Enacted
Budget Request
2020 Enacted
2021
Change from
Contingency Fund.......................................................................................................... 470 5 470 5 470 5 484 5 (22) 14 0
Emergency Preparedness & Response............................................................................. 40,966 199 40,966 199 40,966 199 41,512 199 (23) 546 0
Subtotal, Emergency Management.............................................................................. 41,436 204 41,436 204 41,436 204 41,996 204 560 0
Subtotal Safeguarding and Emergency
Preparedness/Response................................................................................................... 860,700 4,448 887,443 4,490 918,723 4,586 908,256 4,604 -10,467 18
Safe Trade and International Technical Assistance
Agriculture Import/Export.............................................................................................. 15,599 81 15,599 81 15,599 81 15,822 81 (24) 223 0
Overseas Technical & Trade Operations......................................................................... 22,115 55 24,115 55 24,115 55 24,265 55 (25) 150 0
Subtotal Safe Trade and International
Technical Assistance..................................................................................................... 37,714 136 39,714 136 39,714 136 40,087 136 373 0
Animal Welfare
Animal Welfare.............................................................................................................. 30,810 232 31,310 232 31,310 232 31,947 232 (26) 637 0
Horse Protection............................................................................................................. 705 6 705 6 1,000 10 721 6 (27) -279 -4
Subtotal, Animal Welfare............................................................................................ 31,515 238 32,015 238 32,310 242 32,668 238 358 -4
Agency Wide Programs
APHIS Information Technology Infrastructure.............................................................. 4,251 0 4,251 0 4,251 0 4,251 0 (28) 0 0
Physical/Operational Security......................................................................................... 5,146 5 5,146 5 5,146 5 5,159 5 (29) 13 0
Rental and DHS Security Payments............................................................................... 42,567 0 42,567 0 42,567 0 42,567 0 (30) 0 0
Subtotal, Agency Management.................................................................................... 51,964 5 51,964 5 51,964 5 51,977 5 13 0
Subtotal, Appropriated................................................................................................. 981,893 4,827 1,011,136 4,869 1,042,711 4,969 1,032,988 4,983 -9,723 14
General Provisions:
General Provision 757 - Citrus Greening........................................................................ 0 0 8,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
General Provision 771 - Citrus Greening........................................................................ 7,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
General Provision 744 - Citrus Greening........................................................................ 0 0 0 0 8,500 0 0 0 -8,500 0
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-23
Chg
Key
Program/Activity
B.A.
SY
B.A.
SY
B.A.
SY
B.A.
SY
B.A.
SY
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Salaries and Expenses
(Dollars in Thousands)
2018
Actual
2019
Actual
2020
Enacted
Budget Request
2020 Enacted
2021
Change from
Transfers In:
Department of Homeland Security - National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility...............
0 0 6,492 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Congressional Relations ................................................................................................. 90 0 90 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
90 0 6,582 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total, Discretionary Funding........................................................................................ 989,483 4,827 1,026,218 4,869 1,051,211 4,969 1,032,988 4,983 -18,223 14
Authority from Offsetting collections................................................................................ 206,990 1,785 273,962 1,785 270,600 1,785 264,600 1,785 -6,000 0
Mandatory Funds:
Farm Bill, Section 7721................................................................................................... 75,000 26 75,000 26 75,000 26 75,000 26 0 0
Farm Bill, Section 2408................................................................................................... 0 0 37,500 200 0 0 0 0 0 0
Farm Bill, Section 12101................................................................................................. 0 0 120,000 30 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sequester P.L. 113-6…Farm Bill..................................................................................... -4,950 0 -4,650 0 -4,425 0 0 0 4,425 0
Subtotal, Farm Bill....................................................................................................... 70,050 26 227,850 256 70,575 26 75,000 26 4,425 0
Trust Funds.................................................................................................................... 9,510 50 8,466 50 8,923 50 9,000 50 77 0
Trust Funds Sequester Restored P.L. 113-6..................................................................... 91 0 87 0 82 0 0 0 -82 0
Foreign Service National Separation Liability Trust....................................................... 157 0 2,778 0 400 0 400 0 0 0
Agricultural Quarantine Inspection User Fees:
Total Collections........................................................................................................... 795,675 1,325 825,524 1,325 844,812 1,325 844,812 1,325 0 0
Less: Transfer to DHS ................................................................................................. -539,000 0 -539,000 0 -582,187 0 -582,187 0 0 0
Sequester P.L. 113-6 ...AQI.......................................................................................... -50,490 0 -49,290 0 -49,844 0 0 0 49,844 0
Sequester Restored…AQI User Fees............................................................................. 51,399 0 50,490 0 49,290 0 49,844 0 554 0
Subtotal, AQI User Fees (APHIS).............................................................................. 257,584 1,325 287,724 1,325 262,071 1,325 312,469 1,325 50,398 0
Total, Mandatory Funding............................................................................................. 337,392 1,401 526,904 1,631 342,051 1,401 396,869 1,401 54,819 0
Total, Appropriations..................................................................................................... 1,533,865 8,013 1,827,084 8,285 1,663,862 8,155 1,694,457 8,169 30,596 14
Carryover from Prior Years:
Animal Health Technical Services................................................................................ 9,846 10 11,088 10 14,987 46 13,500 46 -1,487 0
Avian Health............................................................................................................... 13,650 15 14,930 15 20,031 30 18,790 30 -1,241 0
Cattle Health................................................................................................................ 3,448 0 3,254 0 2,962 0 3,000 0 38 0
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-24
Chg
Key
Program/Activity B.A.
SY B.A. SY B.A. SY
B.A. SY B.A. SY
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Salaries and Expenses
(Dollars in Thousands)
2018
Actual
2019
Actual
2020
Enacted
Budget Request
2020 Enacted
2021
Change from
Equine Cervid & Small Ruminant Health................................................................... 562 0 1 0 501 0 500 0 -1 0
National Veterinary Stockpile....................................................................................... 7,152 3 7,737 3 4,195 3 4,000 3 -195 0
Veterinary Diagnostics................................................................................................. 2,886 0 3,340 0 12,062 0 19,200 0 7,138 0
Zoonotic Disease Management..................................................................................... 5,998 0 3,889 0 5,540 0 5,000 0 -540 0
Emergency Preparedness & Response........................................................................... 17,941 15 18,442 15 19,335 15 19,301 15 -34 0
Cotton Pests................................................................................................................. 2,726 8 1,749 8 1,309 31 2,000 31 691 0
Field Crop & Rangeland Ecosystems Pests................................................................... 2,610 15 2,583 10 3,360 34 5,300 34 1,940 0
Specialty Crop Pests..................................................................................................... 24,930 90 36,938 74 25,608 198 31,079 198 5,471 0
Tree & Wood Pests....................................................................................................... 7,982 57 6,322 36 9,521 102 9,000 102 -521 0
Wildlife Damage Management.................................................................................... 3,165 0 3,380 0 4,161 0 3,800 0 -361 0
Wildlife Services Methods Development...................................................................... 294 0 1,024 0 1,040 0 1,000 0 -40 0
Contingency Funds...................................................................................................... 1,409 5 1,879 5 2,349 10 2,819 15 470 5
APHIS Information Technology Infrastructure............................................................ 768 0 1,735 0 600 0 600 0 0 0
HUB Relocation............................................................................................................ 2 0 2 0 6 0 0 0 -6 0
Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)........................................................................ 122,731 0 129,657 171 92,586 54 74,837 0 -17,749 -54
Agricultural Quarantine Inspection User Fees (AQI)................................................... 122,316 150 146,478 169 168,556 228 198,028 273 29,472 45
Farm Bill Section 10202................................................................................................ 166 0 220 0 20 0 0 0 -20 0
Farm Bill Section 12101................................................................................................ 0 0 0 0 120,000 30 85,000 25 -35,000 -5
Farm Bill Section 2408.................................................................................................. 0 0 0 0 33,948 200 28,948 148 -5,000 -52
General Provision 757 - Citrus Greening..................................................................... 5,401 0 0 0 685 0 0 0 -685 0
General Provision 771 - Citrus Greening..................................................................... 0 0 7,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
H1N1 Supplemental.................................................................................................... 2,214 0 2,766 0 2,358 0 1,358 0 -1,000 0
Offsetting Collections................................................................................................... 162,761 181 177,371 109 177,561 109 201,082 174 23,521 65
Trust Funds.................................................................................................................. 8,117 0 9,265 0 8,644 15 8,649 15 5 0
Adjustment of unobligated balance brought forward, Oct 1........................................ 0 0 -29,973 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Subtotal, Carryover 529,075 549 561,576 625 731,925 1,105 736,791 1,109 4,866 4
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-25
Chg
Key
Program/Activity
B.A.
SY
B.A.
SY
B.A.
SY
B.A.
SY
B.A.
SY
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Salaries and Expenses
(Dollars in Thousands)
2018
Actual
2019
Actual
2020
Enacted
Budget Request
2020 Enacted
2021
Change from
Transfers Out ................................................................................................................... -450 0 -350 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sequestration P.L. 113-6….Trust Funds............................................................................ -87 0 -82 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Recoveries.......................................................................................................................... 37,139 0 9,243 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Recoveries, Trust Funds.................................................................................................... 122 0 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total Available................................................................................................................ 2,099,665 8,562 2,397,510 8,910 2,395,787 9,260 2,431,248 9,278 35,462 18
Lapsing Balances............................................................................................................... -8,875 -568 -6,416 -438 0 0 0 0 0 0
Balances, Available End of Year........................................................................................ -591,549 -625 -731,925 -1,105 -736,791 -1,109 -764,436 -1,167 -27,645 -58
Total Obligations ........................................................................................................... $1,499,241 7,369 $1,659,169 7,367 $1,658,996 8,151 $1,666,812 8,111 $7,817 -40
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-26
JUSTIFICATION OF INCREASES/DECREASES
A large portion of APHIS’ budget is in support of personnel compensation. The request
includes a total of $13,352,000 to cover increases in pay for associated employees including
$2,321,000 to cover the annualization of the 2020 pay increase, $2,748,000 for the 1 percent pay
increase in 2021, and $8,283,000 for additional benefit compensation.
An increase of $5,069,000 for pay costs ($2,321,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and
$2,748,000 for the 2021 pay increase). This increase will allow APHIS to continue to meet its
mission to safeguard the health, welfare, and value of American agriculture and natural
resources. This critical increase is needed to support and maintain current staffing levels to meet
the demands and statutory requirements imposed on APHIS, including the agency’s emergency
response capabilities for pest and disease outbreaks. Without the pay cost increase APHIS would
need to reduce a number of program activities that protect animal and plant health.
Approximately 46 percent of our budget supports personnel compensation and benefits. We
would have to accomplish this reduction through reductions in Federal contributions to support
States and other cooperators in combatting animal and plant pests and diseases. The reduction
would impact our response capabilities, and APHIS may not respond as quickly to potential pest
or disease outbreaks which could negatively impact U.S. producers and trade.
An increase of $3,663,000 for performance awards. This increase will support a 1 percent
increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the President’s Management
Agenda, to develop a workforce for the 21
st
Century. Without this additional funding, APHIS
will need to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned programmatic
work, eroding USDA’s ability to meet key Administration priorities contained in this Budget.
An increase of $4,620,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees
Retirement System (FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of
USDA’s contribution to FERS. These increases were effective January 1, 2020, and impact
approximately 4,800 employees’ retirement packages.
(1) Animal Health Technical Services, An increase of $4,428,000 and 9 staff years ($37,857,000
and 156 staff years available in the FY 2020 Enacted)
APHIS’ Animal Health Technical Services (AHTS) program develops and enhances the tools
available for acquiring and managing vital animal health information. Incorporating
national surveillance data standards into data management applications enables animal
health information to be compiled nationally, thus leveraging the work of animal health
professionals nationwide to meet local, State, and national veterinary health objectives.
Private veterinarians, trained and accredited through APHIS’ National Veterinary
Accreditation Program (NVAP), help producers meet export requirements and disease
program standards, allowing U.S. animals and animal products to compete in the global
economy. APHIS’ shared disease transmission and spread models, developed for the
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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NVAP, improve planning, managing, and responding to an animal health incident.
The national animal disease traceability (ADT) framework allows Federal, State, local,
Tribal, and private animal health professionals to quickly identify diseased animals, trace
their movements, and control disease spread to protect U.S. livestock, valued at $69 billion
in FY 2018 (National Agricultural Statistics Services). APHIS’ ADT system helps reduce the
number of animals involved in an investigation, reduces the time to respond, and ultimately
decreases the cost of an animal health incident to producers and taxpayers. Moreover, this
system assures trading partners that USDA is committed and able to rapidly contain an
animal disease event. Each year, APHIS provides cooperative agreement funds to States to
help them establish and maintain support for State ADT activities. Currently all States
receiving program funds have approved ADT strategic plans in place with APHIS. In FY
2019, APHIS initiated national priority trace exercises where States treat the trace as a
national emergency. After the first round of these national priority trace exercises, States
averaged approximately 2.5 hours to complete the exercise at a success rate of 98 percent.
The AHTS program evaluates existing animal health data systems and applications to
determine if they are functioning as intended and meeting customer needs, or if they should
be modified, enhanced, or replaced. APHIS makes these systems available to States and
Tribal Nations to support their traceability plans and other animal health activities. For
example, in FY 2019, APHIS analyzed the ADT Information System, which provides
traceability data to the Agency, States, and Tribal Nations. APHIS identified opportunities
to reduce querying times for traceability databases by completing a large-scale tag
retirement from the system. Removing tens of thousands of tags from the ADT Information
System will reduce query/transaction time for completing a trace investigation.
Additionally, the AHTS program uses epidemiologic and economic models to improve the
understanding of historical events, estimate future consequences, and inform strategic,
logistical, and budgetary decisions. In FY 2019, APHIS continued to update foot-and-mouth
disease, classical swine fever, and avian influenza models for contingency planning,
evaluating potential control strategies, estimating potential consequences of disease
introduction and spread, and analyzing surveillance and response activities for recent
outbreaks. APHIS also continues to address animal health incident challenges by
developing models designed to advance our understanding of disease epidemiology for the
purposes of emergency preparedness and management. In FY 2019, APHIS initiated
parameter development for the Australian Animal Disease Spread Model (AADIS) with U.S.
data to support future regional-level simulations of bluetongue disease, the first APHIS
modeling effort simulating vector-borne disease in AADIS.
The NVAP authorizes private veterinary practitioners to work cooperatively with Federal
veterinarians and State animal health officials to report when there are suspect animal
diseases. NVAP offers educational modules to more than 71,000 highly-trained accredited
veterinarians, significantly expanding public outreach. This provides the first step in rapid
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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diagnosis, quarantine, and other control measures to safeguard our nation’s animal and
human health. Accredited veterinarians also provide official animal, flock, and herd health
certifications, disease testing, and traceability practices for billions of animals each
year. Mandatory training and renewal of accreditation provide increased knowledge of
animal disease surveillance, prevention, zoonosis, judicious use of antimicrobials, animal
welfare, and disaster preparedness. APHIS currently hosts 30 web-based supplemental
training modules for accredited veterinarians. Since FY 2011, accredited veterinarians have
completed more than 700,000 web modules, with more than 40,000 modules completed at
veterinary conferences nationwide.
In FY 2021, the program will continue to focus on the highest priority technology
investments that fully integrate animal health information for State and Tribal partners;
collaborate with State animal health officials to identify diseased animals and trace their
movements; and train veterinarians to help producers meet export requirements and
disease program standards.
Overall, base funding for the Animal Health Technical Services program currently supports
salaries and benefits of personnel, contracts and agreements, and other normal operating
costs such as travel, supplies, rent, and utilities necessary to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting a $4,000,000 million increase to enhance the tracking and reporting of
animals through the end of their lifespan, and to improve the record keeping systems that
support the national ADT framework. With the additional funds, APHIS would invest in
electronic ID readers at slaughter plants, allowing the Agency to better track and report
when animals are no longer in the system, and can retire the identification tags. Currently,
the system tracks the animals from the beginning of their movement, but does not continue
through processing at slaughter plants and livestock markets. This presents a significant gap
in traceability since there is no documentation for animals that have been removed from the
population. The new system will enhance the tracking through the lifespan of the animal
and its unique identification tag. Retiring identification tags for dead animals requires
removing and cleaning each ear tag, manually entering identification numbers into the
system to find a match, and then closing the number. Manually reading animal ID numbers
slows commerce and potentially leads to transcription errors. With electronic ear tags and
scanners, however, identification numbers could be scanned, matched, and closed quickly,
efficiently, and accurately. In addition, APHIS would also improve the software that it uses
with the record keeping systems, including electronic health certification. With improved
software, the Agency would be able to fully implement an electronic Health Certification
System for the interstate movement of livestock. Under this system, accredited veterinarians
may enter all animal health certificate data online, where the animal’s movements will be
tracked and stored through its lifespan. The online system also could produce paper or
electronic certificates, whereas the current system requires the entry of certificate data from
a paper document.
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APHIS is requesting increased funding of $428,000 for a pay increase, performance
awards, and for FERS benefits.
(2) Aquatic Animal Health, An increase of $36,000 ($2,253,000 and 13 staff years available in
the FY 2020 Enacted)
The Aquatic Animal Health program protects the health and value of U.S. farm-raised
aquatic animals and natural resources by carrying out activities consistent with the National
Aquatic Animal Health Plan (NAAHP), which calls for surveillance and testing for high-
consequence aquatic animal diseases. USDA, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the
U.S. Department of the Interior implement the NAAHP, which helps the Federal
government develop policies and programs to address aquatic animal diseases for the
benefit of aquaculture and aquatic animal resources. This program’s efforts protect
commercial producers in domestic and international trade markets, valued at $1.8 billion in
2017 (National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2017 Census of Agriculture), and helps the
commercial aquaculture industry demonstrate adherence to sound aquatic animal health
practices.
APHIS and the National Aquaculture Association are working to develop the Commercial
Aquaculture Health Program Standards (CAHPS), a national and uniform approach to
health standards for aquaculture. The goal of CAHPS is to support improved health
management, protection and expansion of aquaculture business opportunities, promotion
and facilitation of trade, and improved resource protection. The CAHPS establishes site-
specific plans for biosecurity, surveillance, and response related to animal health events.
Overall, base funding for the Aquatic Animal Health program currently supports salaries
and benefits, and other program operating costs such as travel, supplies, rent, and utilities
necessary to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $36,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
(3) Avian Health, An increase of $677,000 ($62,840,000 and 247 staff years available in the FY
2020 Enacted)
The Avian Health program protects the U.S. poultry industry, valued at $46.3 billion in 2018
(USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service), while facilitating trade in poultry and
poultry products. This program consists of the surveillance, prevention, and control of avian
diseases; disease threat planning and response; international avian health activities; and
modeling activities.
To ensure the poultry industry maintains worldwide competitiveness, it is essential to
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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quickly detect and address endemic, emerging, and foreign disease threats. APHIS’
surveillance programs detect foreign, zoonotic, and domestic diseases that could
substantially impact domestic production and the economy. Surveillance information
facilitates trade and protects public health by demonstrating that certain diseases do not
exist in U.S. poultry populations. Prevention and control programs minimize the disease
threat and protect the value of poultry markets. The Agency also maintains regulations and
national program standards and guidelines that direct avian health activities at the Federal,
State, and Tribal levels. Maintaining these standards supports interstate and international
commerce by providing assurances about the health of avian species and products that are
moved or traded. In addition, APHIS uses models to improve the understanding of
historical events, estimate consequences, and inform decisions by evaluating the
effectiveness of varying interventions. This program has the expertise and infrastructure to
work with avian health industries, universities, and State and Federal partners to collect,
analyze, and disseminate vital avian health information to those who might take action. The
Agency helps prevent and/or control the spread of avian diseases through collaboration,
education, and regulatory enforcement. To quickly detect avian diseases, APHIS conducts
surveillance in domestic poultry, live bird marketing systems (LBMS), and wild birds.
APHIS designed these prevention and control activities to quickly diagnose disease,
improve biosecurity conditions, and minimize the effects of avian influenza (AI) on the
LBMS and commercial poultry industry.
The LBMS is a voluntary network of U.S. live poultry markets and their production and
distribution systems, which provides fresh poultry meat to consumers. Thirty-three States
and the U.S. Virgin Islands have live bird markets that participate in the APHIS AI
prevention and control program. State cooperators help conduct surveillance and diagnostic
activities for the LBMS. When these tests yield presumptive positive results, APHIS
confirms the presence and strain of AI. LBMS testing prevents and controls the disease in
markets and among producers and distributors that supply those markets. Since the H5/H7
low pathogenicity avian influenza LBMS prevention and control program began in 2004, the
number of AI-positive premises has been trending downward.
The National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) is a cooperative Federal-State-industry
program that helps participants guard against disease incursion and enhance the
marketability of poultry and poultry products. The NPIP AI prevention and control
program involves all 50 States and Puerto Rico; more than 95 percent of commercial broiler,
turkey, and egg industries; and the entire primary poultry breeding industry.
Approximately 100 authorized and approved laboratories provide diagnostic testing for the
program. APHIS provides guidance to commercial poultry operations, who must have
successfully audited biosecurity plans by August 2020 to qualify for indemnity and
compensation payments. In FY 2018, the NPIP General Conference Committee revised the
NPIP Program Standards to update testing procedures and add or clarify
compartmentalization requirements and sanitation standards. In April 2019, USDA
published a notice
advising the public about these changes.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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APHIS manages the NPIP U.S. Poultry Primary Breeder AI Compartmentalization program
which audits and certifies pedigree poultry stock breeding companies that practice high-
level biosecurity measures to keep their flocks free of AI. Compartmentalization represents
a major shift from the traditional paradigm of disease control in that it defines the health
status of a subpopulation of animals by common biosecurity and management principles
rather than a shared geographic boundary. The voluntary program supports the trade of
poultry and poultry products if the United States encounters an AI outbreak. Participating
breeders must meet the program’s extensive biosecurity, training, disease monitoring, and
laboratory infrastructure requirements, which are designed from evidence-based principles
known to prevent AI virus introduction and spread. APHIS administers the program and
serves as the regulatory authority that international trading partners can trust to verify that
a participant meets the requirements.
USDA confirmed Virulent Newcastle disease (vND) in Southern California in May 2018.
APHIS and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) immediately
initiated a unified command to respond to and eradicate vND from the region. To eliminate
the vND virus, a joint APHIS-CDFA incident management team worked to depopulate
infected premises and exposed flocks, and to conduct diagnostic testing to identify new or
potential infection sources. In March 2019, APHIS and CDFA intensified efforts to identify
remaining affected premises and stamp out the disease. As of September 30, 2019, 473 vND
infected premises had been identified. While most of these cases involved backyard birds,
four commercial chicken flocks in Riverside County, California, were confirmed infected
between November 2018 and January 2019. The eradication effort, while achieving
significant success to date, continues in FY 2020. Even so, APHIS had identified 473 vND
infected premises by September 30, 2019.
Internationally, APHIS facilitates agricultural trade, works with agricultural officials,
monitors agricultural health, and supports efforts in sanitary and phytosanitary standard-
setting. In addition, the agency works with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service and the
U.S. Trade Representative’s Office to maintain a coordinated, strategic approach to
resolving avian health issues that affect U.S. exports. Further, APHIS coordinates with the
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and other international organizations to assist
with disease prevention, management, and eradication activities in highly pathogenic avian
influenza -affected regions. In addition, APHIS sponsors and staffs the Emergency
Management Center at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in
Rome, Italy. This Center enables rapid response to animal disease outbreaks in countries
where the United States would have difficulties placing personnel or responding bilaterally.
This approach reduces the threat of disease outbreaks becoming widespread and evolving
into pandemics. APHIS ensures that U.S. trading partners adhere to the Sanitary and
Phytosanitary rules of the World Trade Organization and other international standards-
setting organizations.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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Overall, base funding currently for the Avian Health program supports salaries and
benefits, cooperative agreements and programmatic contracts, and other normal operating
costs such as travel, supplies, rent, and utilities to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $677,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
(4) Cattle Health, A net decrease of $6,703,000 and 35 staff years ($104,500,000 and 508 staff
years available in the FY 2020 Enacted)
The Cattle Health program protects and improves the quality, productivity, and economic
viability of the U.S. cattle and bison industry, valued at $102 billion in 2018 (National
Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA). The Cattle Health program has two major goals: to
rapidly detect and respond to diseases that could significantly affect the U.S. cattle and
bison population, and to prevent the spread of any newly detected disease in the United
States as well as endemic domestic cattle and bison diseases of concern. To accomplish these
goals, APHIS conducts activities related to surveillance and monitoring, disease prevention,
and disease investigation and outbreak response actions. In addition, APHIS maintains
regulations, national program standards, and guidelines that direct cattle health activities at
the Federal, State, and Tribal level. Maintaining these standards is a vital Federal
responsibility that supports both animal health and interstate and international commerce.
APHIS conducts surveillance and monitoring activities for diseases to protect the health of
U.S. cattle and facilitate trade. Surveillance information within the Cattle Health program
verifies that certain diseases do not exist in the cattle population, thus facilitating trade and
protecting public health. For example, surveillance information on bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE) has been instrumental in allowing the United States to maintain
export markets for all beef, which were worth approximately $7.2 billion in 2018 (United
Nations Comtrade Database).
APHIS conducts surveillance for diseases of concern including bovine tuberculosis (TB),
brucellosis, and BSE. APHIS’ surveillance and disease prevention activities for bovine TB
includes testing live cattle and using slaughter surveillance data from the USDA’s Food
Safety and Inspection Service. Since the bovine TB program began in 1917, the prevalence of
TB has significantly decreased in U.S. livestock. Today, the prevalence rate in cattle herds is
at less than 0.001 percent. We also have had success in reducing the prevalence of
brucellosis. The U.S. is considered Class-Free of brucellosis; however, there continues to be a
presence of brucellosis in free-ranging bison and wild elk in the Greater Yellowstone Area
(GYA). APHIS provides expertise to land and wildlife management agencies to manage
brucellosis in the GYA, which includes parts of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
APHIS, with cooperation from the State of Texas, also maintains a permanent quarantine
zone on the Texas/Mexican border to prevent cattle fever ticks (CFT) from spreading within
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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the United States. Since white tail deer and exotic nilgai act as a carrier for the pests, the risk
of ticks crossing the Rio Grande River and leaving quarantines areas continue. The program
increased its mitigation efforts by conducting more individual animal inspections,
restricting wildlife movement, treating additional white tail deer populations with
medicated corn, and increasing the use of vaccines that fight tick infestations. In FY 2019,
APHIS conducted 114,463 individual animal inspections and 95,145 treatments throughout
South Texas. This program’s goal for FY 2021 is to continue to eliminate all CFT outbreaks
that occur outside the quarantine area within 12 months.
APHIS also conducts preventive programs to exclude exotic pests and diseases from the
country. The Agency works with neighboring countries to prevent the entrance of cattle
diseases such as bovine TB, foot-and-mouth disease, and BSE, as well as invasive livestock
pests such as screwworm. APHIS estimates that the benefits for U.S. livestock producers
remaining free of screwworm to be approximately $796 million a year, resulting in $2.8
billion a year in general benefits to the wider economy. APHIS partners with screwworm-
free nations to maintain import protocols and quarantine processes to prevent infested
animals from entering the United States. In addition, APHIS works with the Panamanian
government to maintain a screwworm prevention barrier at the Darien Gap and to be
prepared to respond to outbreaks in the United States.
Overall, base funding for the Cattle Health Program currently supports salaries and
benefits, cooperative and programmatic contracts, and other normal operating costs such as
travel, supplies, rent, and utilities to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $1,297,000 for a pay increase, performance
awards, and FERS benefits.
APHIS proposes a decrease of $8,000,000 for Cattle Health program activities in FY 2021. At
the proposed funding level, APHIS would reduce cooperative agreement funding to the
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) for developing
biological and mechanical control methods to reduce non-native Carrizo cane from the
banks of the Rio Grande River. Carrizo cane is a tall, perennial cane that provides a
favorable habitat to harbor CFT. Additionally, APHIS would reduce Federal contributions
to maintaining game fencing on private lands designed to prevent wildlife from spreading
CFT. At the proposed funding level, APHIS would restore activities back to the FY 2019
levels and continue to focus efforts on mitigation activities that reduce CFT from the
permanent quarantine zone. These include employing mounted patrol inspectors to survey
and apprehend stray and unauthorized animals crossing the southern border; maintaining
the number of individual animal inspections; and treating wildlife with an anti-parasitic
drug to prevent livestock from carrying ticks and infesting premises.
(5) Equine, Cervid and Small Ruminant Health, A net decrease of $5,371,000 ($26,500,000
and 120 staff years available in FY 2020 Enacted)
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The Equine, Cervid, and Small Ruminant Health (ECSRH) program protects the health and
improves the quality, productivity, and economic viability of the equine, cervid, sheep, and
goat industries. The program conducts surveillance, investigates and responds to disease
outbreaks, and carries out disease prevention and preparedness activities when animal
health issues are identified. APHIS also works with international and domestic trading
partners to facilitate safe trade in equine, cervids, and small ruminants and their products
and ensures that cases of diseases of trade concern are reported to the World Organisation
for Animal Health (OIE). The ECSRH program conducts surveillance activities for the
following diseases: equine infectious anemia, equine piroplasmosis, Eastern equine
encephalitis, Western equine encephalitis, West Nile virus, equine herpes virus, and scrapie.
The program protects the equine industry by helping State animal health officials monitor
equine diseases that threaten animal and human health, such as equine infectious anemia
and equine piroplasmosis. The United States is the world’s leading exporter of live horses
by value, accounting for 18 percent of the $2.9 billion worldwide market value (International
Trade Centre 2018). APHIS collaborates with Federal, State, and industry partners to protect
the equine industry from disease, improve the health of our domestic herd, and to protect
human health. These activities improve trade and facilitate equine movement, which are
vital to maintaining the industry’s economic value. APHIS also provides veterinary support
and consultation to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management Wild
Horse and Burro Program through an interagency cooperative agreement. In FY 2019,
APHIS coordinated with States and industry to develop national disease control strategies,
and provided oversight, coordination and implementation of appropriate policies.
Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system of sheep and
goats. The industry loss due to scrapie is estimated to be $10 to $20 million annually,
including lost market opportunities due to export restrictions (National Institute for Animal
Agriculture 2005). Since 2003, the percentage of cull sheep sampled at slaughter that tested
positive for classical scrapie has decreased significantly. In FY 2019, APHIS collected
samples from 34,730 sheep and goats for scrapie testing, detecting seven classical scrapie
positive (0.02 %) animals. The National Scrapie Eradication Program has a voluntary Scrapie
Free Flock Certification Program (SFCP) which enables producers to enhance the
marketability of their animals by protecting them from scrapie and provides participants an
avenue to export sheep and goats. At the end of FY 2019, 235 flocks were enrolled in the
SFCP. Of these, 43 were export certified (scrapie-free), 48 were export monitored (working
toward scrapie freedom), and 144 were select monitored (reduced scrapie risk).
APHIS also conducts monitoring and surveillance activities to detect diseases that affect
cervids, including chronic wasting disease (CWD) and tuberculosis (TB). APHIS’ voluntary
national CWD Herd Certification Plan (HCP) works with States, Tribes, and the cervid
industry to control CWD in farmed cervids by allowing the interstate movement only from
certified herds. Currently, 28 States participate in the national CWD HCP. In FY 2019 APHIS
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tested more than 11,000 farmed cervids for CWD. As a result, APHIS identified 17 new
CWD positive farmed cervid herds. In FY 2019, the program also tested 10,285 animals
utilizing the Dual Path Platform blood test and 2,658 animals utilizing the Single Cervical
Test for TB.
Overall, base funding for the ECSRH program currently supports salaries and benefits,
contracts and agreements, equipment, and other normal operating costs such as supplies,
rent, and travel to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $329,000 for a pay increase, performance
awards, and FERS benefits.
APHIS proposes a decrease of $5,700,000 to reduce Federal contributions for State
cooperators to develop and implement CWD surveillance, testing, management, and
response activities. At the proposed funding level, APHIS would continue to maintain its
voluntary CWD HCP to support the domestic and international marketability of U.S. cervid
herds. APHIS will also continue to use funding to carry out CWD surveillance; conduct
testing using current methods; and provide indemnity to producers with CWD infected
herds.
(6) National Veterinary Stockpile, An increase of $19,000 ($5,725,000 and 7 staff years
available in FY 2020 Enacted)
The National Veterinary Stockpile (NVS) is a component of APHIS’ Field Operations
Logistics Center and serves as the primary source of materials, supplies, and equipment for
the response to, control of, and containment of significant animal disease outbreaks. The
NVS has two primary objectives: to deploy countermeasures, within 24 hours of approval,
against the most damaging animal diseases including highly pathogenic avian influenza,
foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), virulent Newcastle disease (vND), and classical swine fever;
and, to assist States, Tribes, and Territories with planning, training, and exercises for the
rapid request, receipt, processing, and distribution of NVS countermeasures during an
event. To prepare for an incident response, the NVS works with these partners to develop
their logistical plans, conduct logistical training, and organize full-scale logistical exercises.
To maximize cost-efficiency and response capabilities, NVS personnel work with industry
modelers and academic institutions to develop a scientifically estimated quantity of supplies
to stockpile for each of the diseases on APHIS’ high-consequence diseases list. The NVS
personnel gather input from Federal agencies on strategies such as commercially available
countermeasures including vaccines, criteria for deploying countermeasures, and ways to
leverage stockpiles. The program continues to maintain its capabilities to address high
consequence animal diseases, manage inventories, and develop ways to best address the
Agency’s response capabilities by quickly deploying animal health response resources. For
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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example, the NVS acquired additional euthanasia equipment, specifically trailers used for
euthanizing poultry in response to the vND outbreak in California within 24 hours.
A portion of the NVS funding is used to maintain the North American FMD Vaccine Bank
(NAFMDVB) as part of the agency’s animal health readiness initiative. The NAFMDVB is a
vaccine stockpile that APHIS and our counterparts in Mexico and Canada cooperatively
manage. Each country contributes funding to acquire vaccine and maintain a stockpile of
vaccine concentrate, from which FMD vaccine is derived. This funding is used to acquire a
new antigen for FMD preparedness and to perform critical quality control testing of other
newly acquired antigens held in the Bank to maintain current stockpile levels.
Without NVS’ efforts, disease outbreak response efforts would quickly deplete State
resources and overwhelm industry, leading to larger and more serious animal disease
outbreaks. In FY 2021, the NVS will continue to deploy countermeasures against the most
damaging animal diseases, and assist States, Tribes and Territories with preparing
countermeasures during an animal health event.
Overall, base funding for the NVS program currently supports salaries and benefits,
supplies, and contracts and agreements, as well as other normal operating costs like rent,
travel, and equipment to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $19,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
(7) Swine Health, An increase of $400,000 ($24,800,000 and 146 staff years available in the FY
2020 Enacted)
APHIS’ Swine Health program protects the health and improves the quality, productivity,
and economic viability of the swine industry. The 2018 production value of the swine
industry was approximately $21 billion (National Agricultural Statistics Service). In
addition, the program facilitates trade in swine and pork products, and addresses swine
health issues at the human-swine interface and between wildlife and domestic swine.
APHIS activities include comprehensive and integrated swine surveillance, emergency
preparedness and response planning, disease investigation and control activities, zoonotic
disease prevention and response, swine health studies and special projects, collaborations
on emerging issues, and outreach and communication with stakeholders. In addition, the
Agency maintains regulatory and programmatic guidelines to direct activities at the
Federal, State, and Tribal levels. Establishing and maintaining national standards support
interstate and international commerce by ensuring the health of animals and products being
moved or traded.
APHIS collects swine samples from various surveillance streams as part of a comprehensive
integrated surveillance approach to detect swine diseases that could substantially affect
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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domestic producers and the national economy. Comprehensive integrated surveillance
includes field work and epidemiological investigations, designated surveillance streams, a
veterinary diagnostic laboratory infrastructure, data management systems, and
methodologies for data analysis and reporting. Surveillance testing supports the swine
industry by assuring trading partners and other stakeholders of the status of swine diseases
in the United States. This comprehensive surveillance approach has enabled APHIS to
maintain effective surveillance using a risk-based approach that targets high-risk samples
and reduces surveillance costs. The Agency tests for pseudorabies virus (PRV), swine
brucellosis, influenza A viruses (IAV-S), classical swine fever (CSF), and African swine fever
(ASF). Testing results received as of October 11, 2019, continue to confirm that all
commercial swine herds were free from swine brucellosis and PRV. However, these diseases
continue to be found in non-commercial herds after exposure to feral swine. In FY 2019, two
non-commercial herds were identified as PRV test-positive, and five non-commercial herds
were found to be test-positive for swine brucellosis in four States. In all test-positive cases,
APHIS and States investigate and quarantine infected herds, conduct outbreak testing to
determine herd disease levels, and depopulate or remove infected animals through a test-
and-removal strategy to eliminate disease risk from these herds. These efforts protect
commercial herds that may be exposed to infected backyard herds. Because APHIS has
eliminated PRV and swine brucellosis from all U.S. commercial swine herds, the Agency
continues to modernize surveillance activities to reflect a comprehensive, risk-based, and
science-based approach to swine surveillance to support trade efforts while reducing
burdens on States and producers. CSF remains eradicated from the United States, and the
U.S. also continues to be free of ASF.
APHIS has the responsibility under the Swine Health Protection Act to partner with the
States to license and inspect swine production facilities that feed cooked garbage to swine,
and to conduct searches for unlicensed facilities that may illegally feed raw garbage to
swine. This practice could transmit infectious diseases such as ASF, foot-and-mouth disease,
or CSF to swine. APHIS works with States to either bring unlicensed facilities into
compliance or force them to cease their illegal activities. By ensuring that food waste fed to
swine does not threaten domestic swine, APHIS protects the commerce, health, and welfare
of U.S. citizens.
Swine can harbor several zoonotic disease agents, such as IAV-S, swine brucellosis, and
trichinellosis. In such cases, APHIS works with the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention under the “One Health” concept, which promotes healthy animals, people, and
eco-systems by addressing zoonotic diseases, those that pass between animals and people.
APHIS support investigations conducted by State public health and animal health officials.
Joint animal health and public health investigations support the “One Health” concept and
strengthen APHIS’ ability to respond when both animal and human health might be
compromised. In FY 2019, APHIS continued working with the swine industry to design and
implement a national trichinae prevalence study. The study which is projected to be
completed by the end of CY 2020 is expected to strengthen U.S. pork industry access to
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international markets.
The Swine Health Program has the expertise and infrastructure to work with the swine
industry, universities, and Federal and State partners to collect, analyze, and disseminate
vital swine health information to those who might take action. The program continues to
develop and maintain swine surveillance protocols to assure the availability of safe and
plentiful swine and swine products.
Overall, base funding for the Swine Health program currently supports salaries and
benefits, contracts, and agreements, as well as other normal operating costs such as travel,
supplies, and rent, and utilities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $400,000 for a pay increase, performance
awards, and FERS benefits.
(8) Veterinary Biologics, An increase of $3,277,000 and 20 staff years ($17,417,000 and 108
staff years available in FY 2020 Enacted)
APHIS’ Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) regulates veterinary biological products
under the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act to ensure that they are pure, safe, potent, and effective.
Organizations develop these products, which include vaccines, bacterins, antisera,
diagnostic test kits, and analogous products, to prevent, diagnose, and treat animal diseases
in a wide variety of animal species. CVB develops regulations concerning the production
and licensing of veterinary biologics, evaluates pre-licensing dossiers and issuance of
licenses and permits, tests products submitted for licensure, inspects facilities and products,
approves product certifications, investigates non-compliance, and conducts post-marketing
surveillance to ensure that manufacturers comply with all relevant regulations and policies.
This comprehensive regulatory approach is the most effective way to ensure that only
quality, Federally-licensed, veterinary biological products are available to U.S. consumers
and U.S. export markets. This approach plays an essential role in protecting animal health
and agriculture.
APHIS licenses and inspects facilities to ensure that all veterinary biological products
produced and distributed in, imported into, or exported from, the United States are of the
highest quality, and are not worthless, contaminated, dangerous, or harmful. Before the
Agency began regulating these products, farmers and animal health officials found products
to be ineffective or contaminated with harmful diseases, including foreign animal diseases
(FADs). While most of the time required in the licensing process is in the control of the
potential licensee in developing manufacturing processes and conducting required studies,
CVB analyzes data and conducts confirmatory testing before issuing licenses. In FY 2019,
APHIS received 154 applications for new and renewal licenses/permits, and issued 26
licenses/permits for the prevention, diagnosis, management, or cure of existing or
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new/emerging animal diseases. In addition, the Agency licensed 90 manufacturers and
permittees for approximately 1,630 active veterinary biological product licenses/permits for
the control of 280 animal diseases. These products are vital for protecting American
agriculture, facilitating trade, and enhancing agricultural economic opportunities.
The United States and foreign countries require import and export certificates to certify that
products are prepared according to the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act. In FY 2019, APHIS
reviewed/processed 4,612 certificates of licensing and inspection, and 1,024 export
certificates for veterinary biological products. APHIS also helped to ensure there were no
FAD events related to the importation of 50 million doses of biologic products.
Overall, base funding for the Veterinary Biologics program currently supports salaries and
benefits of personnel, and contracts and agreements, as well as normal operating costs such
as supplies, travel, rent, and utilities to conduct program activities. In addition, APHIS will
pursue rulemaking to recover portion the cost of providing this activity and return the
collections to Treasury.
An increase of $3,000,000 and 20 staff years to support the growing needs of the U.S.
veterinary biologics regulatory system. Veterinary Biologics funding has been relatively flat
for almost a decade and funding has not kept pace with the rising costs of CVB facility
operations, which has resulted in diminished staffing levels. For example, CVB laboratory
staffing decreased 62 percent from 2000 to 2019, an unsustainable level for a properly
functioning regulatory oversight process. Additionally, in the CVB’s program areas (i.e. the
Inspection and Compliance unit; and the Policy, Evaluation, and Licensing unit)
approximately 40 percent of current experienced personnel will be eligible to retire by the
end of FY 2021. New personnel need a significant training period, from 18 months to 3
years, to be able to successfully perform the functions of their position. In recent years, this
program has undergone several business process improvement efforts and has
implemented as many efficiencies as available resources have allowed. However, the
program is no longer able to sustain the demand for current and expanding industry needs.
APHIS plans to add seven staff years using the FY 2020 enacted funds. The requested
increase for FY 2021 will support a staffing level that can better addresses the growing needs
of the U.S. veterinary biologics regulatory system. In addition, the program will upgrade
antiquated equipment to expand its molecular biology capabilities; develop and expand
certain vaccine policies; improve services and systems that support application and
licensing processes and help industry gain license approval; improve facility conditions;
and, enhance education and outreach to industry on the biologics approval processes. In
addition, the increase will support necessary repairs to the CVB facility housed at the
National Centers for Animal Health to maintain a safe environment for employees and to
secure the biologics under review.
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The funds will also promote pharmacovigilance which involves the detection and
investigation of the effects of biological products after the product is put into general use.
With increased staffing, the program will be able to analyze and investigate these
pharmacovigilance reports, and provide complete and accurate information to consumers,
producers, and biologic companies regarding reactions or other problems associated with
the use of licensed biological products.
Through these actions, APHIS will help ensure an effective, efficient, and responsive
veterinary biologics program that can provide timely approvals and availability of
veterinary vaccines, diagnostics, and other novel biologics to protect animal health, and
enhance export opportunities for U.S. veterinary biologics companies. APHIS must ensure
that new veterinary biologics meet safety, efficacy, and potency standards but strives to do
so efficiently. The CVB needed an average of 587 work days to issue a license for a
veterinary biologic product in FY 2018, and 630 in FY 2019. However, the requested increase
would enable APHIS to reduce the average licensing time to 350 work days, which is more
in line with industry expectations and historical averages.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $277,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
(9) Veterinary Diagnostics, A net decrease of $5,277,000 ($57,340,000 and 172 staff years
available FY 2020 Enacted)
Laboratory and diagnostic services are essential components of the U.S. animal health
infrastructure. The Veterinary Diagnostics line item provides partial funding for the
National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL), which consists of laboratories in Ames,
Iowa, and Plum Island, New York. The World Organisation for Animal Health and the Food
and Agriculture Organization recognize NVSL as an international reference laboratory for
significant animal diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza and foot-and-mouth
disease (FMD). It provides diagnostic test services ranging from a single laboratory test to
comprehensive laboratory services covering many pathogens for suspected domestic and
foreign animal disease (FADs) outbreaks. The line item also supports the National Animal
Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), which is an animal disease surveillance and
monitoring system that interconnects Federal and State laboratory resources to improve the
security of the nation’s livestock by providing disease diagnostics daily and at increased
levels during outbreaks.
Diagnostic testing and confirmation of surveillance samples improves the security of the
nation’s livestock. The NVSL is on the forefront of emerging and re-emerging diseases
including virulent Newcastle disease virus, tilapia lake virus, infectious hypodermal and
hematopoietic necrosis virus, Senecavirus A (SVA), and bluetongue. Since 2014, APHIS has
experienced a sevenfold increase in FAD investigations, largely due to the emergence of
SVA. SVA is an infectious, non-fatal disease that primarily affects pigs. Because SVA
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symptoms mimic FMD, APHIS must provide a diagnosis to exclude FMD in each case. SVA
is emerging with new disease pathology in young pigs and has been reported across the
United States and Canada as well as in Australia, Brazil, and New Zealand.
The NAHLN serves as an early warning system for foreign and emerging animal diseases.
In this regard, the NAHLN program staff conducts exercises to prepare participating
laboratories for animal disease outbreak scenarios, enabling the laboratories to remain
proficient in animal disease testing. It also enables them to generate a rapid, local
preliminary diagnostic result while confirmatory testing is performed at the NVSL. As of
October 2019, the NAHLN consisted of 59 Federal, state, and university veterinary
diagnostic laboratories in 42 States. These laboratories work with the NVSL reference
laboratories to test for 14 economically devastating and/or FADs and potentially zoonotic
diseases such as FMD, influenza in avian and swine species, bovine spongiform
encephalopathy, and classical swine fever. The NVSL trains NAHLN laboratory personnel
to ensure proficiency and standardization for performing diagnostic tests. The Veterinary
Diagnostics program also provides support for NAHLN program staff and infrastructure
costs; the APHIS Laboratory Portal; personnel to provide information management support
for electronic messaging of diagnostic results; and online quality management training. The
Portal provides secure communication for NAHLN laboratories and proficiency test
management for NAHLN and non-NAHLN APHIS-approved laboratories. The quality
management training helps NAHLN laboratories maintain qualifications for participating in
the network.
APHIS conducts proficiency testing of Federal, State, and university-sponsored laboratories
when these laboratories perform authorized diagnostic testing as part of APHIS-approved
surveillance and/or response programs. This is done to ensure that they use standardized,
rapid diagnostic techniques and to maintain the credibility of U.S. diagnostic test results in
the international marketplace. In addition, the Agency provides proficiency test panels to
any laboratory for purchase. The laboratories use these panels to evaluate their testing
processes. In FY 2019, APHIS provided 21 types of proficiency panels to international,
Federal, State, and private laboratories within and outside the NAHLN network. APHIS
made the necessary controls and reference strains available for approximately 200 diseases
to help other laboratories develop and validate diagnostic tests. Veterinary diagnostic user
fees cover the cost of some services, including: import and exports testing, interstate testing,
reference assistance testing, and diagnostic reagents.
In FY 2021, APHIS will continue to work with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to plan for the move from the Plum
Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) in New York to the state-of-the-art National Bio
and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas. The PIADC, home to APHIS’
Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL), is the only U.S. laboratory
permitted to work with FMD virus. In addition, FADDL is the custodian of the North
American FMD Vaccine Bank and now manages the new U.S. National Animal Vaccine and
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Veterinary Countermeasures Bank, as outlined in the 2018 Farm Bill. NBAF will be a key
national asset to protect the U.S. animal agriculture industry and will be the first and only
facility in the United States with large animal Biosafety Level-4 containment capability.
USDA and DHS are working closely to plan for the transfer of management and oversight
of NBAF from DHS to USDA. NBAF construction is projected to be substantially complete
in December 2020 and commissioning is projected for May 2021. At that point, NBAF
systems and components will be operable and USDA will phase-in live agent work. In
December 2020, USDA will begin an endurance testing period which will require staff to test
the animal handling and animal disposal capability, operate laboratories, and use many
other NBAF components. To accomplish these tasks and still meet current timelines, USDA
has recruited key positions, and is accelerating hiring in FY 2020. After the transfer, ARS
will manage the building and facilities. Both ARS and APHIS will have leadership
responsibilities on operational aspects of the facility and for their own science programs.
The NBAF should reach full operational capability in December 2022; the NBAF transition
will continue through the closure of PIADC in August 2023. USDA is confident it can
effectively and efficiently operate this state-of-the-art facility.
In FY 2020, APHIS is using available funds from current and prior years to further address
NBAF transition costs such as the purchasing of additional laboratory equipment and
associated information technology equipment and software, records management, and
additional workforce development investments. Some of the laboratory equipment needs to
be installed before the endurance testing period begins to ensure the facility operates as
designed when laboratories are functioning, animal rooms are being used, and
decontamination systems are in operation. APHIS is continuing efforts to develop a
workforce of subject matter experts in foreign, emerging, and zoonotic diseases to conduct
diagnostics in preparation for the transition. Workforce development is critical given the
significant loss of expertise expected during the transition and the need to transfer the U.S.
FAD diagnostic institutional knowledge to NBAF. While the program can train
diagnosticians to perform specific tests, interpreting unclear results and troubleshooting
diagnostic assays when they do not perform properly requires a high level of experience.
Based on the time required to develop expertise in this area, APHIS anticipates a potentially
significant expertise gap, particularly during the first 5-10 years of operations at NBAF. To
address this possible workforce gap, APHIS developed the NBAF Scientist Training
Program (NSTP) to meet the workforce needs for experts in foreign animal and zoonotic
diseases. Through this workforce development program, USDA is developing personnel to
fill NBAF positions through continued service agreements. This program is critical because
subject matter expertise and international recognition in FAD diagnostics take years to
develop, yet only a small percentage of the current FADDL workforce with that expertise is
expected to relocate to NBAF. This development program will help preserve and transfer
the U.S. FAD diagnostic institutional knowledge to NBAF. Some of the additional staff years
included in the FY 2021 request represent individuals who will be transitioned from NSTP
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students to full-time employees at NBAF. The Agency also developed a Laboratorian
Training Program to train future NBAF laboratory technicians.
In FY 2019, APHIS and ARS began recruiting to fill more than 100 key operational positions.
APHIS filled 43 of these positions in FY 2019, and continues to recruit for additional
positions for the operational stand up, in addition to the initial priority positions identified.
APHIS prioritized certain positions for hiring before FY 2021. Most of these positions will
train on FADDL-specific test protocols and instrumentation systems at the FADDL, before
transitioning to NBAF between 2021 and 2023. They will directly support the critical mission
objectives of diagnostic testing, reagent production, training in FAD detection, and
management of the FMD Vaccine Bank. APHIS is placing the remainder of these positions at
NBAF since they are critical to developing standard operating procedures, ordering
equipment and supplies, developing the International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) accreditation paperwork, and assisting with the select agent registration process. The
overarching responsibilities of all priority hires include the validation of the space for work
flows and laboratory practices for both select agent registration and ISO 17025 accreditation,
as well as proficiency in the required equipment care, use, and calibration to meet ISO
accreditation and biosafety standards. APHIS will continue to rely on funds available from
prior years to implement activities in FY 2021.
The diagnostics testing conducted under this line item can rapidly confirm the presence or
absence of a particular animal disease and can promptly provide decision makers with vital
information that could have significant trade impacts and prevent or mitigate the spread of
significant animal diseases.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $433,000 for a pay increase, performance
awards, and FERS benefits.
APHIS proposes a decrease of $5,110,000, for NAHLN activities in FY 2021. At the proposed
funding level, the program would continue working with the NAHLN-participating
laboratories on the highest-priority animal health issues but would reduce the funding the
agency provides to support their infrastructure needs, primarily related to quality
management systems and their ability to provide real-time results. The agency is proposing
to redirect these funds in order to support higher priority programs.
APHIS requests $20.3 million for NBAF activities, a net decrease of $600,000. The requested
funding will continue to support the transition to NBAF. USDA and DHS currently expect
Substantial Completion of Construction by December 2020, and to reach Initial Operating
Capability in May 2021. USDA will need to test the facility during an endurance testing
period beginning in December 2020 which will require significant staff on site to test the
animal handling and animal disposal capability, operate multiple laboratories
simultaneously provide safety, health and environmental management oversight, and test
many other NBAF components.
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In addition to the $20.3 million requested, the Agency would also use available funds from
prior years to assist with transition needs and ensure a smooth transition of diagnostic
program operations from the PIADC to the NBAF in the coming years.
ARS is requesting additional funding, a net increase of $9.9 million for FY 2021. This net
increase consists of an additional $15 million for operations and maintenance of the new
facility, an additional $8 million for research, and a reduction of $13.1 million for transition
costs that will not be necessary after FY 2020. Without the necessary funding, the program
would not be able to transition these functions and the timeline would be delayed. All costs
are closely associated with and largely dependent on the DHS timeline for construction,
commissioning, and select agent registration.
(10) Zoonotic Disease Management, An increase of $176,000 ($16,523,000 and 64 staff years
available in FY 2020 Enacted)
The Zoonotic Disease Management (ZDM) program collaborates with local, State, Tribal,
national and international partners to promote healthy animals, people, and eco-systems by
addressing zoonotic diseases, those that pass between animals and people. This
collaborative approach is known as “One Health”. APHIS provides leadership in
addressing the animal health component of One Health by contributing animal health
expertise, infrastructure, networks, and systems to collaborate with our partners. Program
personnel develop strategies, policies, and training to help animal health stakeholders
effectively engage with public health counterparts, provide guidance, facilitate information
exchange, and enhance responses to One Health issues. Through the ZDM program, APHIS
is able to protect animal health and marketability, while also promoting public health.
In collaboration with other One Health partners, the program provides leadership to
address the animal health components of zoonotic diseases. For example, according to a
2011 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis, Salmonella bacteria causes an
estimated 1.2 million human illnesses, 19,000 hospitalizations, and 370 deaths annually in
the United States. It has been estimated that Salmonella infections transmitted through
animal contact cause 11 percent of all salmonellosis annually. In FY 2019, APHIS
collaborated with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and State Departments of
Public and Animal Health to investigate several multistate outbreaks of human Salmonella
infections linked to contact with live poultry in backyard flocks, especially chicks and
ducklings obtained from mail-order hatcheries. These outbreaks resulted in a total of 1,003
people infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella reported from 49 states. To prevent
infections linked to live poultry, APHIS applied a One Health approach for control and
prevention. This approach unifies animal and human health needs and takes into account
the environments at the hatcheries where poultry are produced, the agricultural retail stores
where poultry are sold, and the customers who own and raise poultry.
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APHIS also partners with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop
practical mitigation strategies to limit or reduce the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance
(AMR). AMR is the ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication previously used to
treat them. The ZDM program works with State and Federal partners, veterinarians, and
producers to promote the judicious use of antimicrobials, which will support a strong,
healthy, and thriving U.S. animal agriculture system. This work includes surveillance at the
farm level, collection of antimicrobial drug use data, and efforts to promote stewardship of
antimicrobial drugs by animal owners and veterinarians. The program completed two
studies of on-farm antimicrobial use and stewardship in FY 2018: one on swine operations,
and one on cattle feedlot operations. In FY 2019, APHIS published reports of these two
studies which updated information about antimicrobial use and stewardship for both
commodity groups. Internationally, the program provided expertise on several chapters of
the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code related to
AMR. APHIS also collaborated with the FDA to provide input to the OIE ad hoc group in
charge of developing a global database on antimicrobial drug use.
In FY 2021, APHIS will continue to provide leadership in addressing the animal health
component of zoonotic diseases, and collaborate with State and Federal partners,
veterinarians, and producers to promote the judicious use of antimicrobials, which will
support a strong, healthy, and thriving U.S. animal-agriculture system as well as public
health.
Overall, base funding for the ZDM program currently supports salaries and benefits, as well
as other normal operating expenses such as travel, supplies, equipment, and rent, and
utilities to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $176,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
A net decrease of $8,338,000 and 6 staff years for Safeguarding and Emergency
Preparedness/Response – Animal Health.
(11) Agricultural Quarantine Inspection, An increase of $1,020,000 for the program
($32,330,000 and 372 staff years available in the FY 2020 Enacted)
APHIS conducts predeparture agricultural quarantine inspections of passengers and
cargo traveling from Hawaii and Puerto Rico to the continental United States to prevent
the introduction of non-native agricultural pests and diseases into the mainland. Hawaii
and Puerto Rico have pests and diseases harmful to agriculture that are not established in
the continental United States. For example, a variety of economically devastating fruit
flies – particularly the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) and Oriental fruit fly – and scale
pests are present in Hawaii. In FY 2015, Puerto Rico experienced its first Medfly outbreak,
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along with an outbreak of the old world bollworm. Plant and plant products, such as
fruits and other commodities, easily carry pests long distances and can cause significant
economic damage to the mainland United States. In addition to the citrus industry that
may be at risk (with a production value of more than $3 billion, according to USDA’s
National Agricultural Statistics Service, Quick Stats), cut flower and nursery stock
production is also at risk from the pests and diseases present in Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
Additionally, two significant cotton pests, pink bollworm and the cottonseed bug, are
present in Puerto Rico and could be brought into the United States on cargo shipments
without an effective inspection program. The pre-departure inspection program facilitates
tourism and agricultural trade between Hawaii and Puerto Rico and the mainland United
States, while protecting farmers and producers in the continental United States from the
entry of various plant pests and diseases.
Because of the significant risks associated with numerous fruits, vegetables, and other
plant products from Hawaii and Puerto Rico, APHIS inspects all baggage of passengers
leaving these islands (more than 13 million passengers in FY 2019). In FY 2019, 98 percent
of passengers were in compliance with agriculture quarantine regulations. APHIS
conducts these activities as the national plant health regulatory authority in the United
States charged with protecting the health and value of agricultural resources. For
commercial cargo, the program oversees treatments and conducts inspections in Puerto
Rico for mangoes, cotton, tomatoes, cut flowers, and a variety of other commodities to
allow them to be transported and sold in the continental United States. In Hawaii, the
program oversees treatments for and inspects a variety of commodities destined for the
continental United States, including papayas, bananas, sweet potatoes, herbs such as
basil, cut flowers, and ginger root.
The Agriculture Quarantine Inspection (AQI) program keeps interstate trade flowing
smoothly and safely and allows for efficient processing of tourists, protecting both the
economies of Hawaii and Puerto Rico and the agricultural health of the continental
United States. The Hawaii Department of Transportation is modernizing its airport
infrastructure, starting with the Kona Airport on the island of Hawaii. APHIS is adjusting
its operations to cover additional terminals in FY 2020 and FY 2021, including the
purchase of additional x-ray machines to inspect passenger baggage. The program’s
inspections reduce the impact of agricultural pests and diseases on farmers in the
continental United States, minimizing production losses and pest control costs and
preserving export markets for U.S. agricultural products. Without this program, the risk
of pest or disease introduction from Hawaii and Puerto Rico to the mainland United
States would greatly increase. Additionally, many commodities would not be allowed
entry to the continental United States without the inspections and treatments provided by
the program, impacting Hawaiian and Puerto Rican producers. Maintaining the
safeguards this program provides is essential, especially considering the increasing U.S.
consumer demand for year-round fruits and vegetables.
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Overall, base funding for the AQI program currently supports salaries and benefits of
inspectors and other staff, as well as normal operating expenses such as rent, utilities,
travel, and supplies to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $1,020,000 for a pay increase, performance
awards, and FERS benefits.
(12) Cotton Pests, An increase of $139,000 ($11,520,000 and 51 staff years available in FY
2020 Enacted)
The Cotton Pests program, in cooperation with States, the cotton industry, and Mexico,
works to eradicate the boll weevil (BW) and pink bollworm (PBW) from all cotton-
producing areas of the United States and northern Mexico. For decades, these pests have
cost cotton growers tens of millions of dollars each year in control costs and crop losses,
according to the National Cotton Council APHIS provides national coordination,
operational oversight, technology development (such as sterile PBW moths), and a portion
of funding through cost-share programs with States. APHIS’ partners have provided more
than two-thirds of the funding for the boll weevil eradication effort and most of the
operational funds for PBW eradication. The program also maintains capabilities to address
other cotton pests that could enter the United States.
APHIS provides technical advice on trapping and treatment protocols to our partners in
Mexico to aid in their efforts to eradicate boll weevil and PBW. Without continued Federal
funding, support and technical expertise for the final phase of the program, eradication
would not be possible, and previously eradicated cotton acreage would be vulnerable to
reinfestation. Additionally, U.S. cotton production may be at risk of new pests approaching
the country through the Caribbean Basin and Mexico.
APHIS and our State and cotton industry partners have eradicated boll weevil from 99.5
percent of the 13.7 million acres of U.S. cotton (National Agricultural Statistics Service June
2019). The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) in Texas is the last zone within the United
States where active boll weevil eradication efforts continue due to the neighboring Mexican
cotton producing state of Tamaulipas. In FY 2021, APHIS will continue to reduce the boll
weevil population in the LRGV and partner with the U.S. cotton industry on boll weevil
surveillance efforts for all U.S. cotton production. In addition, APHIS will continue to
partner with the Mexican boll weevil eradication program to provide technical assistance
and funding through the North American Plant Protection Organization agreement for their
parallel program to the LRGV program.
APHIS’ Cotton Pests program also partners with States and industry to address PBW. On
October 19, 2018, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, in conjunction with industry
partners, officially announced the successful eradication of PBW from all commercial
cotton-producing areas in the continental United States. APHIS will continue to monitor
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areas in Florida, where PBW is present. The affected areas in Florida are wilderness areas
where there is no commercial cotton production, but APHIS monitors the population to
ensure that the program could respond quickly if the population spreads.
According to the National Cotton Council of America, where boll weevil has been
eradicated, the combined annual direct economic benefits from increased yields, reduced
insect damage and lower insect control costs are more than $80 million. The value of this
permanent stream of benefits exceeds $1.2 billion every year.
Overall, base funding for the Cotton Pest program currently supports salaries and benefits,
cooperative agreements and programmatic contracts, as well as other normal operating
expenses such as travel, rent, and utilities to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $139,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
(13) Field Crop and Rangeland Ecosystem Pests, A net decrease of $1,789,000 ($13,826,000
and 77 staff years available in the FY 2020 Enacted)
The Field Crop and Rangeland Ecosystem Pests (FCREP) program protects U.S. agricultural
crops and rangelands from the establishment or spread of invasive or economically
significant pests. In doing so, it facilitates safe international trade and domestic commerce,
preserves economic opportunities for U.S. farmers and ranchers, and fosters healthy
ecosystems in rangelands and other areas. APHIS conducts survey and suppression
activities in western States to reduce grasshopper and Mormon cricket (GMC) infestations
that could cause significant economic losses for livestock producers by requiring them to
buy supplemental feed or sell their livestock at reduced prices.
APHIS conducts behavioral studies and develops advanced survey and control methods. In
addition, the Agency develops treatments for land managers to remove imported fire ant
(IFA) from their products and prevent re-infestation; conducts regulatory activities to
prevent Karnal bunt (KB) and IFA from “hitchhiking” on regulated articles (i.e., nursery
stock and farm equipment) to uninfested areas of the United States and foreign countries
through trade; and, conducts survey, treatment, and regulatory activities for witchweed
infestations in North and South Carolina to protect U.S. corn production. This program
directly protects more than 230,000 acres of wheat and corn worth more than $18 million
(based on APHIS analysis). It indirectly protects all U.S. wheat and corn production, which
was worth approximately $61 billion in 2018 (National Agricultural Statistics Service, Crop
Values 2018 Summary), from the spread of KB and witchweed.
When grasshopper populations reach outbreak levels, they can decimate grasslands. APHIS’
GMC program monitors and protects 661 million acres of rangeland each year worth a total
of nearly $8.7 billion according to a 2012 economic analysis University of Wyoming
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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researchers prepared through a cooperative agreement with APHIS. Each year, APHIS
conducts surveys in western States for GMC, collecting data at more than 29,000 survey
points in FY 2019, to determine where potential outbreaks could occur and where
treatments might be necessary. The program also addresses witchweed, a parasitic plant
that can significantly damage corn, sorghum, and sugarcane. If witchweed were to spread
throughout the Corn Belt, crop yields for corn and sorghum could decrease by 10 percent
and trade in commodities from these areas could be negatively impacted.
APHIS’ IFA program works to prevent human-assisted spread of this pest through
requiring that materials capable of harboring IFA, such as nursery stock and hay, are treated
before leaving infested areas. Based on studies of areas with climate suitable for IFA
(Korzukhin et. al, Environmental Ecology, 2001) APHIS estimates that preventing human-
assisted spread is protecting up to 10 States from potential infestations. APHIS will continue
conducting annual surveys and other activities to manage these pests in FY 2021.
APHIS coordinates an annual voluntary survey of the grain delivered to elevators to check
for KB across the country and conducts regulatory activities to prevent the spread of the
disease from the remaining infested area in Arizona. Based on the program’s quarantine and
survey data, APHIS issues export certificates that are required by countries importing U.S.
wheat. These certificates demonstrate to trading partners the safety of U.S. wheat exports,
retaining export markets and facilitating wheat movement into international markets. If KB
funding was eliminated, the disease could enter the grain market system and directly
impact almost every State. Many trading partners will not accept U.S. wheat exports unless
the commodity is certified to be from areas where KB is not known to occur. Working with
cooperators, APHIS has reduced the wheat production areas regulated for KB from all or
portions of four States to approximately 170,000 acres in Arizona since 1996. APHIS will
continue survey and regulatory activities aimed at keeping KB from causing damage and/or
trade disruptions in FY 2021.
Overall, base funding for the FCREP program currently supports salaries and benefits,
cooperative agreements, and programmatic contracts. Other funding supports normal
operating expenses such as rent, utilities, travel, supplies, and equipment to conduct
program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $211,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
A decrease of $1,000,000 for activities to control scale insect pests that affect Roseau cane in
the Mississippi River Delta wetlands. APHIS will use funding provided in FY 2020 to
continue methods development work including developing control methods targeting the
scale insect, evaluating Roseau cane’s defenses against the scale insect, and evaluating
restoration techniques for areas that have experienced Roseau cane die-off. In FY 2021,
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APHIS will have completed evaluating various control methods and will focus on
implementing the most promising methods.
A decrease of $1,000,000 for activities to control cogongrass infestations. APHIS anticipates
publishing an environmental assessment (EA) for public comment in the Federal Register in
early FY 2020 related to cogongrass control activities. Once the EA is finalized, pending
public comments, APHIS anticipates providing funding through cooperative agreements to
Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and South Carolina (and potentially other affected States as
well) for cogongrass control. In FY 2021, APHIS will fund these activities at a reduced level;
States may contribute additional funding if they wish to continue at the higher level.
(14) Pest Detection, An increase of $521,000 ($27,446,000 and 190 staff years available in the
FY 2020 Enacted)
The Pest Detection program serves as the early warning system for the detection of plant
pests of economic and environmental significance in the United States. The program helps
farmers and producers by documenting the status (or absence) of plant pests and diseases
that could impact trade opportunities, both interstate and international. It also helps APHIS’
state-level partners by providing funding and infrastructure to conduct surveys for high-
risk pests that may affect their State. The information the program collects provides the
basis for APHIS’ emergency response and regulatory efforts that preserve economic
opportunities for farmers and safeguard U.S. agricultural and natural resources.
Specifically, the program identifies and prioritizes plant pest and disease threats; develops
scientifically sound pest survey protocols; procures essential survey materials (traps, lures,
etc.); cooperates with State partners to conduct the pest surveys; and, shares data with States
about significant pest detections.
APHIS provides national coordination for the program and develops policies and
procedures for commodity-based and resource-based pest surveys. These surveys enable
APHIS and cooperators to target high-risk hosts and commodities, gather data about pests
specific to a commodity, and provide accurate assessments of pest distribution, including
pest-free areas. Negative data from program surveys supports U.S. market access for several
important commodities by demonstrating that the pests are not present. Examples include
data showing that major pests such as the Khapra beetle, a serious pest of wheat and grain,
and the European grapevine moth, a pest of grapes, are not present in the United States.
Additionally, while many entities are involved in protecting crops and resources, APHIS’
role is to verify that U.S. exported products do not pose risks to other countries. For
example, when a survey first detected the pale cyst nematode in Idaho, the program had
data demonstrating negative survey results in other potato-producing States that kept
export markets open for U.S. potatoes. The value of the markets that remained open was
$236 million in 2018 (United Nations Comtrade). Without funding, APHIS would be unable
to conduct surveys for high-risk pests or provide funding to cooperators for these surveys.
As a result of APHIS’ funding, highly skilled, national cadres of surveyors are in the field on
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a daily basis looking for high-risk pests. In FY 2019, the program and its cooperators
conducted surveys in 50 States and three territories for 238 individual pests, pathogens, and
noxious weeds. The program also conducted 217 commodity- and taxon-based surveys,
with an average of more than five pests per survey. APHIS and state cooperators conduct
surveys for multiple pests at each location for efficiency and economy of survey.
Early pest detection is important to avert economic and environmental damage; once a pest
becomes established or spreads significantly, the mitigation costs can reach millions of
dollars, in addition to lost farm revenues and damage to ecosystems. The Pest Detection
program communicates and develops partnerships through cooperative agreements with
state departments of agriculture and natural resources, universities, industry partners, tribal
and local governments and communities, non-profit organizations, and individuals in all 50
States.
Overall, base funding for the Pest Detection program currently supports salaries and
benefits, and cooperative agreements, as well as other normal operating expenses such as
travel, rent, utilities, and supplies to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $521,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
(15) Plant Protection Methods Development, An increase of $359,000 ($20,686,000 and 131
staff years available in the FY 2020 Enacted)
The goal of the Plant Protection Methods Development (PPMD) program is to develop
scientifically viable and practical tools for exotic plant pest exclusion, detection, and
management. The program plays an essential role in APHIS’ mission by developing tools
for the detection of exotic plant pests in survey programs; molecular diagnostic tests and
identification tools for pest identification; integrated pest management methods, including
biological control, to help eradicate or manage invasive pests; and treatments to support
interstate and international trade.
APHIS’ nationwide pest detection surveys and pest management programs depend on
accurate and effective tools. The PPMD program supports development of pest trapping,
identification, and survey technologies. Digital pest identification tools and molecular
diagnostics developed through PPMD funding supports both domestic programs and
import pest identification responsibilities. APHIS uses these tools to conclusively identify
exotic species introductions in order to take appropriate regulatory actions. The program
also develops pest management techniques that APHIS national programs use to manage or
eradicate invasive pest threats.
The PPMD program aims to develop new, or improve existing, tools each year to enhance
APHIS’ safeguarding capabilities. For pest identification, the program continues to design,
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develop, and deliver digital, media-rich, identification tools for APHIS to support trade and
domestic, port, and offshore pest identification responsibilities.
The PPMD program also maintains its own quarantine and/or rearing facilities for biological
control agents in Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Texas and
Guatemala. APHIS partners with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, State departments of agriculture, universities in 30 States and territories,
and 2 Native American Tribes to evaluate and establish biological control agents for
invasive plants, pests, and diseases. Some key program targets included Asian citrus psyllid
(ACP), brown marmorated stink bug, emerald ash borer, spotted lantern fly, and Asian
longhorned beetle. As of the end FY 2019, a biocontrol rearing facility in Mission, Texas,
produced a cumulative total of 10.96 million biological control agents for ACP, the vector for
citrus greening. Assessments of area-wide management in south Texas showed a 90.4
percent reduction in the ACP population since the program started.
The PPMD program also supports methods development related to invasive honey bee
pests, specifically Varroa mites. A Varroa mite feeds on the honey bee’s fat body tissue (an
organ similar to the human liver) rather than on its blood, in turn weakening and shortening
the bee's life. The Varroa mite is considered the greatest single driver of the global honey
bee colony losses. According to a USDA analysis, managed honey bee colonies add at least
$15 billion to the value of U.S. agriculture each year through increased yields and superior
quality harvests. In FY 2019, the program funded priority projects with other Federal and
State agencies, as well as the public, that support managing, suppressing, and eradicating
Varroa mites, small hive beetles, and other pests and diseases contributing to a decline in
honey bee health. These projects included investigating new management pesticide control
options for Varroa mites, as well as breeding bees resistant to Varroa mites. In FY 2021, the
program will continue to fund similar priority projects to combat this destructive pest.
In FY 2021, the program will continue working to develop new management tools and pest
detection methods for the highest priority pests and diseases.
Overall, base funding for the PPMD program currently supports salaries and benefits,
contracts, and agreements, as well as other normal operating expenses such as travel, rent,
and supplies to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $359,000 for a pay increase, performance
awards, and FERS benefits.
(16) Specialty Crop Pests, A net decrease of $8,934,000 and 9 staff years ($192,013,000 and
793 staff years available in FY 2020 Enacted)
The Specialty Crop Pests (SCP) program protects U.S. farmers and producers of fruits and
vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops from adverse impacts associated with
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invasive pests, such as crop damage or threats to international trade and interstate
commerce. APHIS works in coordination with State, Tribal, university, and industry
partners to prevent or mitigate impacts from invasive pests of Federal regulatory
significance. These efforts promote the ability of U.S. farmers and producers to export their
products, prevent damage to specialty crop production, and protect natural resources,
including forests and residential landscapes. Specialty crops are of high value and are
grown in all 50 States. APHIS’ SCP program directly protects production (including citrus,
grapes, potatoes, nursery stock, and tree fruit) worth more than $9.5 billion in FY 2017,
based on internal analysis using data from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics
Service’s (NASS) Census of Agriculture and the Economic Research Service (ERS). APHIS is
currently using SCP resources to address the following pests and diseases: exotic fruit flies,
a variety of citrus pests and diseases, pale cyst nematode (PCN), light brown apple moth
(LBAM), plum pox virus (PPV), European grapevine moth (EGVM), glassy-winged
sharpshooter (GWSS), and spotted lanternfly (SLF), among others.
The SCP program partners with affected industries, States, Tribes, academic institutions,
and other Federal agencies to deliver domestic programs. Additionally, the program works
with its counterparts in foreign countries to address pest risks offshore. For example, the
SCP program works with Mexico and Guatemala to mitigate the risk of exotic fruit flies
entering the United States. The program has kept the United States free of Mediterranean
fruit fly (Medfly) and Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) for many years by conducting preventive
releases of sterile insects to disrupt normal population growth in at-risk areas; detecting and
responding to outbreaks when they occur; and maintaining a barrier against the natural
spread of the Medfly in Mexico and Central America and developing advanced methods for
survey and control. Medfly has a host list that includes 300 cultivated and wild fruits. The
Mexfly also has a wide-ranging host list and presents a particular threat to the Texas citrus
industry due to its proximity to infested areas in Mexico. Increasingly, tephritid fruit flies of
the genus Bactrocera have been responsible for numerous outbreaks. APHIS and
cooperators maintain 160,000 fruit fly traps in vulnerable areas to ensure that any
introductions of exotic fruit flies are quickly detected. In FY 2019, the program responded to
11 new exotic fruit fly outbreaks, all of them related to Mexfly. To reduce ongoing risks
related to Mexfly infestations, the program is replacing its outdated sterile Mexfly facility in
Texas and expanding capacity to more than double the number of sterile insects produced
to improve the program’s preventive efforts. Without the program’s efforts to detect and
eradicate these outbreaks when they occur, many important crops would become
impossible to grow due to fruit fly infestations. APHIS will continue activities to prevent,
detect and respond to any outbreaks that occur in FY 2021.
APHIS also works with citrus producing States and industry groups to support industry’s
ability to grow and market U.S. citrus despite the presence of devastating diseases such as
citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB). Through the Citrus Health Response
Program, APHIS supports cooperators’ in citrus producing States with on-the-ground
operations, such as surveys, regulatory inspections, and outreach to affected growers and
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the public, as well as methods development activities at other USDA agencies. APHIS
conducts inspections of Florida citrus shipments destined for export to the European Union
and other countries, allowing citrus producers to take advantage of export opportunities.
Because of the ongoing threat HLB poses, APHIS, other Federal agencies, State partners and
the citrus industry work together on the HLB Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) group to
identify and implement tools to combat the disease. The MAC Group has funded research to
quickly identify practical tools that can aid the citrus industry to combat HLB. Growers and
commercial firms are using one in three of the tools funded through HLB-MAC projects.
The solutions found through this effort will continue to help citrus growers manage the
disease while research into long-term solutions for HLB continues. APHIS will continue to
address HLB and other citrus diseases in FY 2021.
Federal response activities take place in concentrated areas where the infestations occur
(e.g., PCN in Idaho or SLF in Pennsylvania and surrounding States), but also work to
protect all at-risk States producing specialty crops. For example, while the SCP program
works to address the PCN in Idaho, it also conducts nationwide surveys for the pest to
demonstrate to trading partners that potato-producing areas outside of the quarantined area
are not affected by PCN, protecting fresh potato export markets worth $236 million in FY
2018 (UN Comtrade Database). The program also addressed PPV, a devastating viral
disease of stone fruit, in New York, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. USDA declared the United
States free of PPV in October 2019 which protects more than 1 million acres of stone fruit
across the United States. APHIS will continue post-eradication surveys in New York, the site
of the most recent infestation in the United States. Without the SCP program, various export
markets for U.S. specialty crops would be at risk—the program protected trade worth more
than $8.9 billion in 2017 (based on APHIS analysis using NASS and ERS data).
To protect the U.S. grape and wine industries, APHIS has partnered with California grape
growers to eradicate EGVM and prevent the spread of GWSS into grape-producing areas. In
the collaborative effort against EGVM, APHIS provided funding, expertise, and operational
support for surveys and regulatory efforts to find and prevent the spread of the target pest,
while industry funded and conducted necessary control treatments (with technical guidance
from APHIS and State officials). APHIS and its State, county, and industry partners declared
EGVM eradicated in FY 2016, after an intensive, 7-year cooperative effort. Eradicating this
pest dramatically lowers growers’ production costs and protects or expands export
opportunities. APHIS conducted post-eradication surveys to ensure that this pest is not
present, and to protect the Federal and industry investment in the eradication effort. FY
2019 was the third and final year in the post-eradication survey plan.
APHIS has partnered with tree nut industries as well as Arizona and California State
cooperators to develop sterile insect technology to address the navel orangeworm (NOW), a
serious pest of pistachios, almonds, and walnuts. With funding provided in FY 2020, APHIS
will continue producing sterile NOW and working with industry and State partners to
develop and implement a cooperative, area-wide control program targeting this pest in
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California. These efforts will help protect nut production worth more than $8.9 billion for
the 2018/2019 season (ERS Fruit and Tree Nut Yearbook Tables).
Within SCP, APHIS will shift $4 million from the LBAM program to the SLF program.
APHIS has been working with trading partners, particularly Canada and Mexico, to
eliminate LBAM as a trade concern. Since LBAM was first detected in the United States in
2006, APHIS, State cooperators, and growers have learned that the pest can be effectively
controlled with existing integrated pest management practices used to target similar moth
species. Additionally, commodity risk analyses have shown that fruits and vegetables are
unlikely pathways for LBAM transport. At the same time, control efforts targeting SLF,
which involve intensive survey and treatment activities, are expanding. The SLF program
assessed 4,187 parcels and treated 339 in FY 2018, when it initiated survey and control
efforts. In FY 2019, the program assessed more than 64,000 parcels and identified more than
1,600 needing treatment. The program treated 640,000 trees in FY 2019 and expects to treat
at least that number in FY 2021. Additionally, APHIS and cooperators are continuing to
develop new methods to control SLF, including improved traps and an egg mass treatment
that can be used in winter (current treatment methods—herbicides for SLF’s preferred host
tree, an invasive weed, and insecticides targeting the insect—are used in warmer weather).
APHIS will build these new tools into the program if the ongoing pilot projects for these
new methods continue to show success. SLF impacts a variety of crops, including grape,
apple, hops, walnut trees, and other hardwood trees. Increasing funds available for
treatment activities will allow the program to protect agricultural production areas near the
current infestation from the spread of SLF. With this shift, APHIS would reduce LBAM
staffing by 5 staff years and increase SLF staffing by the same number. Shifting the
additional $4 million to SLF will allow APHIS to protect agricultural production areas in
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, and surrounding States. Pennsylvania has
approximately 22,000 acres of apple production and 13,000 acres of grape production,
according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture (NASS). Controlling the current infestation will
also protect other nearby States, such as New York, which has more than 50,000 acres of
apple production and more 33,000 acres of grape production (NASS). The entire mid-
Atlantic region with diverse agricultural production is vulnerable to SLF.
Overall, base program funding supports salaries and benefits, cooperative agreements, as
well as other normal operating expenses such as supplies, equipment, and rent to support
program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $2,066,000 for a pay increase, performance
awards, and FERS benefits.
A decrease of $6,000,000 and 5 staff years for the glassy-winged sharpshooter program:
APHIS will reduce Federal funding for this program and allow industry to contribute more
funds toward program operations. The GWSS is not a Federally regulated pest and the
program currently directly benefits one industry within one State.
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A decrease of $5,000,000 and 4 staff years for the European grapevine moth program:
APHIS and cooperators eradicated EGVM in FY 2016 and completed a 3-year, post-
eradication monitoring program in FY 2019. At the proposed funding level, APHIS will
continue to monitor for the pest at a reduced level.
(17) Tree and Wood Pests, A net decrease of $3,664,000 and 10 staff years ($60,000,000 and
301 staff years available in FY 2020 Enacted)
America’s forests are valuable resources that provide jobs and recreation opportunities and
create habitat for wildlife. Through the Tree and Wood Pests (TWP) program, APHIS
addresses devastating pests such as the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), emerald ash borer
(EAB), and European gypsy moth (EGM). Numerous native hardwood tree species that are
common throughout U.S. forests and urban landscapes are hosts to these pests. When forest
pests like EAB kill large numbers of trees in urban and suburban areas, they can cause
tremendous, wide-ranging impacts to communities, landscapes, and commerce. In addition,
exports of forest products such as logs and timber could be at risk due to trade restrictions
put in place by other countries.
Nationwide, APHIS programs protect 596 million acres of forested land by preventing the
spread of damaging pests. Without Federal funding, forest pests would spread more rapidly
throughout the United States, and responding to newly introduced pests would become
increasingly difficult. The value of forest products that APHIS protects is over $200 billion
(U.S. Forest Service).
APHIS cooperates with State and local agencies and organizations in 48 States to conduct
various activities to manage and, when feasible, eradicate forest pests. These activities
include conducting surveys, implementing control measures, developing methods and
processes to combat pests, and conducting outreach efforts to prevent pest spread. APHIS’
role in the TWP program is to oversee the regulatory framework to prevent the human-
assisted movement of these pests and to provide national oversight and coordination for
program activities to detect and eradicate or manage the pests.
In FY 2019, APHIS addressed ALB outbreaks in Massachusetts, Ohio, and New York, and
continued pursuing biological control options as a long-term EAB management strategy. In
addition, APHIS, alongside the Forest Service and the EGM Slow-the-Spread Foundation,
continued its work to slow the spread of EGM and eradicate isolated populations, keeping
this pest from becoming a larger issue.
Overall, base funding for the TWP program currently support salary and benefits, contracts,
and cooperative agreements, as well as other normal operating expenses such as rent,
supplies, travel, and equipment to conduct program activities.
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APHIS is requesting increased funding of $826,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
APHIS proposes a decrease of $4,490,000 and 10 staff years for the EAB pest program. The
Agency and its cooperators at the State, local, and industry levels work together to achieve
overall program goals. At the proposed funding level, the program will reduce Federal
contributions towards managing this pest. If cooperators are unable to increase their
contributions, the program would adjust the rate at which it conducts surveys and
implements control measures.
A net decrease of $12,348,000 and 19 staff years for Safeguarding and Emergency
Preparedness/Response – Plant Health.
(18) Wildlife Damage Management, A net increase of $235,000 ($109,756,000 and 589 staff
years available in FY 2020 Enacted)
The Wildlife Damage Management (WDM) program resolves human/wildlife conflicts and
protects agriculture, human health and safety, personal property, and natural resources
from wildlife damage and wildlife-borne diseases in the United States. This program
protects livestock from predators, manages damage from invasive species, such as feral
swine and brown tree snakes; conducts a national rabies management program; and
manages damage, conflicts, and diseases caused by various wildlife species, such as beavers,
double crested cormorants, and other migratory birds. APHIS conducts these activities
under the authority of the Animal Damage Control Act, which allows the Agency to control
mammals and birds that are a nuisance or serve as reservoirs for zoonotic diseases. These
activities benefit farmers, ranchers, other private landowners, businesses, and Federal, State,
county, and city government offices. APHIS carries these activities out with appropriated
funding the Agency receives as well as funding from Federal, State and local cooperators.
APHIS supports cooperators by providing both technical and direct control assistance. For
example, the Agency will provide technical assistance if a rancher is experiencing predators
killing his cattle and sheep, or if a farmer is having trouble with fish-eating birds damaging
their catfish and other aquaculture crops. This could include providing advice, information,
recommendations, and materials (and in some cases the necessary equipment) to the
producer, farmer, or rancher to resolve the wildlife-caused damage themselves. In FY 2019,
APHIS provided assistance to more than 12,625 livestock producers.
APHIS maintains specially trained staff around the nation to provide direct control
assistance, which can be necessary when the problem cannot be resolved through technical
assistance. In FY 2019, the Agency helped producers protect approximately 15.8 million
head of livestock.
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APHIS’ wildlife disease biologists provide technical assistance, conduct surveillance, and
maintain control of more than 30 wildlife diseases, pathogens, and syndromes, as well as
collaborate with domestic and international academic and research institutions regarding
wildlife disease surveillance. Ongoing surveillance of avian influenza in wild bird
populations and diseases in feral swine is critical to manage and determine threats to the
U.S. poultry and swine industries. Wildlife disease biologists also serve as multi-hazard first
responders, providing support on foreign animal disease introductions (e.g., Virulent
Newcastle disease, avian influenza) and natural disasters (e.g., floods, hurricanes, forest
fires). By providing these specialized and coordinated services, APHIS supports USDA’s
goal of maximizing the ability of American agricultural producers to feed and clothe the
world.
Overall, base funding for the WDM program currently supports salary and benefits,
supplies, and equipment, as well as other normal operating expenses such as cooperative
agreements, rent, and travel, to conduct program activities.
A decrease of $1,380,000 and 0 staff years for predator depredation program activities. At
the proposed funding level, APHIS will reduce development of additional non-lethal
strategies and instead focus efforts on current effective methods to avoid or reduce
predation. APHIS will continue to provide technical assistance to producers on preventative
measures for predator control activities, which producers can then implement themselves.
Additionally, APHIS will assist Federal, State, and private cooperators in obtaining
depredation permits and conducting predator management workshops.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $1,615,000 for a pay increase, performance
awards, and FERS benefits.
(19) Wildlife Services Methods Development, An increase of $343,000 ($18,856,000 and 125
staff years available from the FY 2020 Enacted)
The Wildlife Services Methods Development (WSMD) program works with cooperators to
conduct research to develop and implement socially responsible methods to prevent and
mitigate damage caused by wildlife and invasive species on agricultural production and to
detect and prevent wildlife diseases that may impact animal health and agricultural
biosecurity. APHIS provides the only dedicated Federal leadership in developing methods
to manage wildlife-related damage programs and to resolve human-wildlife-agricultural
conflicts. These methods enable APHIS, cooperators, and individuals to protect crops,
livestock, natural resources, property, and public health and safety.
In FY 2019, NWRC initiated 86 new studies and published 133 scientific papers, book
chapters and technical reports in 85 professional scientific journals. Scientists also made 216
presentations to scientific and stakeholder audiences. Many non-lethal methods that
Federal, State, and private sector wildlife professionals use today stem from APHIS’
research. Examples of methods developed include a potential new toxicant and delivery
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system for managing feral swine populations; a repellent application for blackbirds who
cause extensive crop damage and lower yields at harvest for sunflower growers; and
adaptation of an effective non-lethal tool for managing wolves for coyote control. Each of
these tools has enabled APHIS to reduce damage to property, agriculture, human health
and safety, and/or native wildlife and ecosystems.
Additionally, the WSMD program develops data to register products that enable the private
sector to further manage human-wildlife conflicts. An example of this type of technology
transfer is the APHIS registration of a contraceptive vaccine to control the white-tail deer
and feral horse and burro populations with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The
program also explores ways to reduce the spread and transmission of zoonotic diseases, and
develops disease diagnostic methods.
The program develops and evaluates new tools and strategies to manage wildlife damage to
agriculture. These methods are essential to cooperators, and preserve businesses and
regional employment opportunities. In FY 2021, the WSMD program will continue to serve
as an international leader in non-lethal research to reduce wildlife damage.
Overall, base funding for the WSMD program currently supports salary and benefits,
contracts, and cooperative agreements, as well as other normal operating expenses such as,
supplies, equipment, travel, and rent to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $343,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
A net increase of $578,000 for Safeguarding and Emergency Preparedness/Response – Wildlife
Services.
(20) Animal and Plant Health Regulatory Enforcement, An increase of $318,000
($16,224,000 and 116 staff years available in the FY 2020 Enacted)
The Animal and Plant Health Regulatory Enforcement (APHRE) program provides
investigative, enforcement, and regulatory support services to the Agency’s four regulatory
programs and Agricultural Quarantine Inspection activities carried out through the
Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection. APHRE investigates
alleged violations of Federal laws under its jurisdiction and pursues appropriate
enforcement actions through administrative, civil, or criminal procedures.
The APHRE program ensures compliance through comprehensive investigations, sound
enforcement actions, and strong educational efforts. The program uses monetary penalties
and alternative enforcement actions, including non-monetary settlement agreements, and
works with USDA’s Office of the Inspector General and Office of the General Counsel
(OGC), and/or the U.S. Department of Justice to pursue administrative, civil, or criminal
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action, as appropriate, in response to alleged violations of APHIS-administered laws.
Program activities serve to deter individuals and companies from engaging in acts to cause
extensive economic damage and/or excessive expenses related to eradication or mitigation
efforts designed to protect the American agriculture system. In FY 2019, APHRE initiated
1,359 new cases, issued 218 official warnings, issued 339 pre-litigation settlements resulting
in the collection of $714,665 in stipulated penalties, and obtained administrative orders
assessing $308,660 in civil penalties. The Agency considers a case complete after it issues an
official warning or voluntary settlement to which the recipient agrees, finds there is
insufficient evidence to support enforcement action, or refers a case to the USDA OGC.
Overall, base funding for the APHRE program supports salaries and benefits and contracts,
as well as other normal operating expenses including travel, supplies, printing, rent, and
utilities to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $318,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
(21) Biotechnology Regulatory Services, An increase of $8,763,000 and 43 staff years
($18,875,000 and 96 staff years available in FY 2020 Enacted)
The biotechnology industry develops innovative products that can greatly benefit the
public. Every day, American farmers and consumers benefit from USDA’s role in bringing
biotechnology products to the marketplace. On the plant health side, farmers benefit from
genetically engineered (GE) crops through improved yields while consumers benefit from
improved traits, such as healthier oils and reduced exposure to potential carcinogens.
According to the USDA Economic Research Service, farmers use biotechnology to grow
more than 90 percent of the soybeans, corn, and cotton in the United States. However,
before any of these products can be brought to market, it is essential to demonstrate,
through rigorous, scientific review, that they do not pose a risk to America’s agricultural
and natural resources.
APHIS ensures new GE crops will not pose plant health risks when released into the
environment. APHIS’ reviews and regulatory determinations support producers of new and
innovative GE technologies in their efforts to enter commerce and the worldwide
marketplace. These controls instill confidence in the public and in our trading partners that
GE products produced in the United States are safe and of the highest quality. APHIS
ensures that developers, growers, and others take important steps to prevent unauthorized
releases of GE organisms. Depending on the characteristics of the GE organism, the
developer files an application in the form of either a permit or a notification. To ensure that
GE organisms meet standards outlined in the permit or notification, APHIS inspects fields,
equipment, and other facilities. In FY 2019, APHIS and the States (authorized by APHIS)
conducted more than 600 site inspections, 43 of which were unannounced, and 53 were
virtual. The virtual inspection process, launched in FY 2018, enhanced effectiveness of
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oversight while leveraging technology through virtual monitoring and evaluations of field
trials.
Once a developer can demonstrate a GE plant does not pose a risk to plant health, the
developer can petition for determination of nonregulated status (also known as
deregulation) of the plant. APHIS’ review and deregulation of these GE crops are essential
in making these products available in the marketplace. Agricultural biotechnology gives
farmers and producers more tools to address pest, disease, and weed management issues,
contributes to the adoption of no-till and low-till practices, and helps safeguard crops
against disease. USDA expects the cumulative number of determinations of nonregulated
status to increase from 132 in FY 2019 to more than 135 by the end of FY 2021. The Agency
would expect the number of determinations to increase significantly by FY 2021 if there are
changes made in the regulations. In FY 2021, APHIS will continue to devote resources to
meet target timelines of 13 to 15 months for petitions that do not require an Environmental
Impact Statement.
APHIS takes a coordinated and collaborative approach to ensure the safe development of
products derived through genetic engineering. This includes working with the
Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration consistent with
the principles of the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology;
partnering with the National Plant Board to allow State inspectors to conduct inspections of
field release sites, which ensures cost-effective use of resources; working with international
partners to enhance the coordination of regulatory approaches for the safe use of GE
organisms; and providing capacity building assistance to developing countries for the
regulation of GE crops.
Overall, base funding for the Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) program currently
supports salaries and benefits, contracts, and agreements, as well as other normal operating
costs, such as travel, equipment, and supplies to conduct program activities. In addition,
APHIS will pursue rulemaking to recover portion the cost of providing this activity and
return the collections to Treasury.
An increase of $8,500,000 and 43 staff years to continue to implement Executive Order
13874. Executive Order (EO) 13874 (Modernizing the Regulatory Framework for
Agricultural Biotechnology Products) identifies a number of directives for USDA that
address recommendations of the Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Task Force that are
within the core and support functions of the BRS program: reforming regulatory programs
to reduce burdens, promote efficiency and provide a clear path to commercialization,
improving international trade compatibility and policy alignment, expanding domestic and
international acceptance of products made using biotechnology products, and establishing a
unified web presence for U.S. biotechnology regulatory requirements and guidance. In FY
2021 and beyond, APHIS will implement a new federal regulatory approach for all products
of biotechnology, which, among other things, will establish clear timeframes for completing
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certain regulatory steps, thereby promoting greater certainty in the timing for
commercializing biotechnology products.
Under the EO, APHIS is responsible for managing and enhancing the unified regulatory
website, which allows developers of agricultural biotechnology products to promptly
receive a single, coordinated response from Food and Drug Administration, Environmental
Protection Agency and USDA to inquiries about Federal regulatory review of a particular
product, requiring additional staffing for web development and communications. APHIS
will develop additional partnerships to promote good stewardship of agricultural
biotechnology and make investments in information technology (e.g., improved electronic
permitting systems, CLIMEX modelling, and ARCGIS) and associated personnel to improve
customer service and to enhance control of regulated biotechnology field trials. APHIS will
also invest in strategic placement of analysts who conduct compliance assessments to ensure
its regulatory program keeps ahead of the fast-paced, technological innovations in
agricultural biotechnology and protects American agriculture.
As part of supporting both the EO and the its new regulatory framework, APHIS will
increase its efforts internationally to communicate the effectiveness of the U.S. regulatory
system in ensuring biotechnology product safety and to support risk-proportionate and
science-based regulation of GE plants and other GE organisms; thereby facilitating
international trade of U.S. agricultural products. Domestically, APHIS, in conjunction with
its inter-agency partners will dedicate resources to ensuring that biotechnology information
is accessible and understandable to the broadest base of stakeholders and consumers, as
well as develop curricula for STEM students at the K-12 levels.
To meet these requirements and support the commitments in the EO, APHIS is requesting
$8.5 million to support the staffing resources needed to build, initiate, and sustain the
initiatives outlined above, while keeping ahead of the pace of innovation and the needs of
the agriculture community.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $263,000 for a pay increase, performance
awards, and FERS benefits.
A net increase of $9,081,000 and 43 staff years Safeguarding and Emergency
Preparedness/Response – Regulatory Services.
(22) Contingency Fund, An increase of $14,000 ($470,000 and 5 staff years available in the
FY 2020 Enacted)
The APHIS Contingency Fund is the Agency’s resource to immediately implement short-
term, coordinated, emergency activities that are relatively small in scale and not otherwise
supported by the Agency’s other appropriated commodity line items. APHIS uses this fund
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to respond to small, isolated pest and disease outbreaks before they can spread and cause
significant economic and financial damage to producers across the United States. Specific
examples include addressing outbreaks of the European grapevine moth in California,
rabies in the Eastern United States and Texas, contagious equine metritis in Kentucky and
other States, giant African land snail in Florida, feral swine in New Mexico, and cattle fever
ticks in Texas.
The Contingency Fund allows APHIS programs to promptly address small scale outbreaks,
decreasing the likelihood of pest and disease spread that could cripple otherwise healthy
agricultural production systems and export markets.
Overall, base funding for the program currently supports salaries and benefits, equipment,
contracts, and agreements, as well as other normal operating costs, such as travel and
supplies to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $14,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
(23) Emergency Preparedness and Response, An increase of $546,000 ($40,966,000 and 199
staff years available in FY 2020 Enacted)
The Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Program improves APHIS’ capability to
prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from animal health emergencies. It develops
strategies, policies, and procedures for incident management and response coordination that
meet national and international standards. The program’s goal is to respond to animal
health events within 24 hours from the time APHIS decides it is appropriate to be involved
in the response effort. Effective preparation for, and rapid response to, animal health events
requires advance and continuous planning, training, and exercises. The program
participates in joint Federal, State, and local animal health and all-hazards exercises to
improve response capabilities, and performs post- exercise reviews. In addition, this
program works with major commodity groups to ensure the continuous movement of
livestock products during animal health emergencies. This line item funds activities that
enable APHIS to achieve a high state of readiness and respond rapidly and effectively to
emergency events, thus lessening the impact of those events, should they occur, on
producers, consumers, taxpayers, and the economy.
In addition, APHIS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) jointly
manage the Federal Select Agent Program (FSAP). The FSAP administers the select agents
and toxins regulations in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Any
individuals or entities possessing, using, or transferring select agents or toxins must register
them with APHIS (if the agent affects animal or plant health) or the CDC (if the agent affects
human health). Facilities must meet biosafety requirements, including measures to ensure
the safety and security of the agents and prevent their release. APHIS and CDC inspect
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facilities that use or transfer these agents to ensure compliance, and inspect each other’s
facilities to eliminate potential conflicts. APHIS’ Agriculture Select Agent Services (AgSAS)
ensures that facilities address non-compliances appropriately, and initiate enforcement
actions. APHIS and CDC maintain a joint database to improve reporting and workload
management capabilities. Since FY 2018, FSAP established regular coordination with USDA
representatives overseeing the stand-up of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility
(NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas to provide guidance on the select agent registration process.
FSAP assigned staff liaisons to collaborate with NBAF project leadership, performed annual
on-site visits to review the facility design, and provided input into regulatory standards, the
process, and timelines for select agent registration.
The EPR program supports coordinators in each of the 10 Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) regions for Emergency Support Function #11: Agriculture and Natural
Resources (ESF #11). These coordinators work with local, State, Tribal, Territorial, Insular
Area Governments, and other Federal agencies during actual and potential incidents to
respond to animal and agricultural health issues; provide technical expertise to support
animal and agricultural emergency management; ensure the safety and defense of the
Nation’s supply of meat, poultry, and processed egg products; provide nutrition assistance
to animals; and ensure the protection of historic properties and natural and cultural
resources in partnership with the Department of the Interior. Often, ESF #11 support uses
numerous USDA capabilities and resources from within APHIS, the Food and Nutrition
Service, and the Food Safety Inspection Service, along with collaboration with the Farm
Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Rural Development to
provide support to disaster-impacted areas. In addition, APHIS provides technical support
to FEMA for the care of pets and service animals during disasters.
APHIS also serves as a liaison between State and local officials to protect pets, breeders, and
exhibitors regulated by the Animal Welfare Act to enhance coordination on animal disease
preparedness efforts. The agency works through ESF #11 (Agriculture and Natural
Resources) and ESF #6 (Mass Care, in coordination with FEMA) to support pet owners in
disasters. In addition, APHIS invests in the Zoo and Aquariums All Hazards Preparedness,
Response and Recovery Fusion Center to help the exotic animal industry during
emergencies. This Center reaches corners of the exotic animal industry that APHIS has had
difficulty reaching.
The EPR program bolsters and deploys its emergency response capabilities in several ways.
For example, the program maintains emergency qualifications system dispatchers, who
coordinate the delivery of emergency resources. The EPR Program also supports the
Voluntary Emergency Ready Response Corps, a pool of APHIS employees who are trained
to fill commonly requested emergency response positions, as well as the APHIS security
coordinator program which provides occupational safety and health support and physical
and operational security support for emergency responses.
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In FY 2019, APHIS continued to expand its animal health readiness capacity by increasing
the number of first responders to enable the Agency to respond more rapidly and effectively
to animal health emergency events. The EPR program supports the Agency’s National
Incident Management System emergency response training and exercise program, focusing
on building the plant and animal health response capabilities of all APHIS emergency
responders.
APHIS, State cooperators, and industry stakeholders exercised the Secure Milk Supply and
Secure Pork Supply Plans. These plans provide continuity-of-business guidance for
premises with no evidence of foreign animal disease infection in a regulatory control area.
Under the plans, such an operation could move raw milk or live swine to processing if
approved by local, State, tribal, and Federal regulatory officials. The secure food supply
plans resulted from a multi-year collaboration by industry, State, Federal, and academic
representatives. They provide guidance only; in an actual outbreak, the responsible
regulatory officials will make decisions based on the unique characteristics of the outbreak.
This program uses modeling to determine disease spread and evaluate surveillance
strategies. APHIS continues to enhance disease-spread and control models for avian
influenza, classical swine fever, and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to evaluate
the effects of alternative control strategies and potential economic consequences of disease
introduction and spread. APHIS also analyzes results from simulated foot-and-mouth
disease outbreak and historical HPAI outbreak response data to develop demand estimates
for veterinary medical officers and other response personnel. The Agency has generated
virulent Newcastle disease models to evaluate the potential impact of incomplete
depopulation of detected backyard poultry units and comparative outcomes from various
surveillance strategies. APHIS has developed and enhanced African swine fever disease-
spread and control models to investigate the effects of various strategies on the severity and
duration of outbreaks.
Overall, base funding for the Emergency Preparedness and Response Program currently
supports salaries and benefits of personnel and contracts, as well as other normal operating
costs such as travel, supplies, rent, and utilities to conduct program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $546,000 for a pay increase, performance
awards, and FERS benefits.
A net increase of $560,000 for Safeguarding and Emergency Preparedness/Response –
Emergency Management.
An overall net decrease of $10,467,000 and 18 staff years for Safeguarding and Emergency
Preparedness/Response.
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(24) Agriculture Import/Export, An increase of $223,000 ($15,599,000 and 81 staff years
available in the FY 2020 Enacted)
Import/Export program protects U.S. agriculture by facilitating the safe trade of animals and
animal products. APHIS works with other Federal agencies, States, foreign governments,
industry, and academia to conduct import risk analyses that evaluates the animal health
status of countries and regions requesting approval to export animals and/or animal
products into the United States. APHIS’ animal health experts ensure that U.S. import
requirements safeguard U.S. livestock through an evaluation process, and negotiate
requirements for the export of U.S. animals and animal products worldwide. These
requirements are based on complying with international standards, sound scientific
principles, and fair trading practices for animals and animal products. APHIS also sets
quarantine and testing requirements for animals and animal products being shipped to help
ensure that global markets can be accessed, expanded, or maintained with little or no risk to
U.S. animal production. Additionally, APHIS conducts activities related to the Lacey Act,
which prohibits the importation of any plant, with limited exceptions, that are taken or
traded in violation of domestic or international laws. The Act requires a declaration for
imported shipments of most plants or plant products.
Imports
Safeguarding against the importation of significant animal diseases is vital to protecting U.S.
industries, producers, and consumers. APHIS bases its regulations that minimize the risk of
introducing animal diseases on evaluations of the animal health status of countries or
regions. The Agency evaluates the animal health status of regions that wish to export
animals and/or animal products to the United States through completing a risk assessment
that documents the evaluation process and final conclusions. Based on the conclusion of the
evaluation, the Agency may recognize the animal health status of the region and lift the
import prohibitions related to the disease in question. In FY 2019, for example. APHIS
published notices to recognize the State of Baja California, Mexico as free of cattle fever
ticks, Singapore as free of foot-and-mouth disease and Romania as free of Newcastle disease
and highly pathogenic avian influenza. These changes in regional animal health status allow
U.S. importers to streamline processes associated with importing products from these
countries. APHIS also recognizes that disease risks may be mitigated by treatments or
processes applied to animal products, and import permits allow evaluation of these risk
mitigations. In FY 2019, APHIS conducted four site visits in various regions to confirm that
the regions’ surveillance, prevention, and control measures are sufficient to minimize the
likelihood of an introduction of foreign animal diseases into the United States. The Agency
continues to ensure that import regulations are effective and science-based, and to work
with U.S. businesses and importers to facilitate safe trade. For example, the Agency is
working to improve traceability of imported animals by implementing the use of
identification scanners at the Mexican border that will upload ear tag information into our
traceability databases. APHIS also continues to develop more regulatory flexibility,
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including removing the import permit requirement for certain low risk and exempted
animal origin ingredients and products. In FY 2019, APHIS issued 17,933 import permits for
live animals, animal products, organisms, and vectors. These include new permits,
renewals, and amendments.
Exports
APHIS negotiates export protocols with trading partners for various commodities that
protect their country while also facilitating trade. In FY 2019, APHIS negotiated or re-
negotiated 103 export protocols for animal products (22 new or reopened markets, 22
expanded markets, and 59 retained markets). This includes retaining market access for
poultry exports in numerous countries that imposed restrictions due to outbreaks of avian
influenza and Newcastle disease. APHIS also negotiated 165 export protocols for live
animals (86 new or reopened markets, 32 expanded, and 47 retained markets).
APHIS endorses export certificates for live animals and inedible animal-origin products,
documenting the animal health status, and facilitating export to all markets. APHIS
continued to increase the number of animal health export certificates issued electronically in
FY 2019 by expanding the capabilities of the online Veterinary Export Health Certification
System (VEHCS). VEHCS capabilities include: digital signature capabilities, multiple user
roles, a certificate upload feature, certificate re-issuance, and inclusion of supporting
documents and payment information. APHIS is working to expand the number of countries
and commodities for which electronic certification is available. Due to more trading partners
accepting electronically issued and/or digitally endorsed export health certificates in FY
2019, the number of export health certificates issued within VEHCS increased by 54.3
percent from FY 2018.
Lacey Act
APHIS conducts activities related to the Lacey Act. The Lacey Act prohibits the importation
of any plant - with limited exceptions - taken or traded in violation of domestic or
international laws. The Act requires a declaration for imported shipments of most plants or
plant products. A 2012 United Nations Environmental Programme study estimated the
value of illegal logging, including processing, to be between $30 to $100 billion dollars, or 10
to 30 percent of the global wood trade. The Lacey Act helps combat this illegal logging,
often connected to organized crime, by encouraging importers to research their supply
chains and be aware of the laws governing products they purchase in other countries.
APHIS works with an interagency group to implement the provisions. APHIS’ role is to
manage the declaration requirement, provide guidance to importers regarding the
declaration, perform compliance checks, and provide enforcement agencies with
information to assist their investigations. APHIS collected approximately 830,000
declarations in FY 2019. The Agency will continue conducting these activities in FY 2021.
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In FY 2021, the program will continue to conduct import risk analyses activities and set
quarantine and testing requirements to protect U.S. agriculture while facilitating safe trade
of animals and animal products. This program will also continue to enforce the Lacey Act to
ensure imported plants and plant products are in compliance with domestic and
international laws.
Overall, base funding for the Agriculture Import/Export program currently supports
salaries and benefits of personnel, contracts, and agreements, as well as other normal
operating costs such as travel, supplies, rent, and utilities to support program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $223,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
(25) Overseas Technical and Trade Operations, An increase of $150,000 ($24,115,000 and 55
staff years available in the FY 2020 Enacted)
Through the Overseas Technical and Trade Operations (OTTO) program, APHIS helps U.S.
farmers, ranchers, and producers export their products to other countries by resolving
concerns over animal and plant health issues that affect trade in agricultural products.
Exports are crucial to economic viability of U.S. farmers, ranchers, and producers.
According to USDA’s Economic Research Service, the United States exports 20 percent of its
agricultural production. However, agricultural trade is subject to costly disruptions related
to animal and plant health issues. APHIS works to continually support economic
opportunities by keeping markets open for U.S. agricultural products. Working with other
Federal partners, such as the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office and USDA’s Foreign
Agricultural Service, APHIS provides the technical expertise to successfully address animal
and plant health regulatory issues associated with trade negotiations for new markets and
to reopen markets when they are closed or threatened due to pest or disease issues.
In addressing animal and plant health trade issues, APHIS uses its strong scientific base and
team of technical experts located in the United States and abroad to advocate on behalf of
U.S. agriculture. APHIS officials negotiate animal and plant health requirements for exports
to other countries, ensuring requirements are proportional to risk without being excessively
restrictive; assist U.S. exporters in meeting foreign regulatory requirements; provide
technical information to support the safety of U.S. agricultural products destined for foreign
markets; and safeguard the United States from foreign agricultural pests and diseases.
Highlights of FY 2019 successes include opening new markets for U.S. beef to Morocco,
potentially worth $80 million per year; cattle, sheep, and goats to Turkmenistan valued at
$20 million per year; and blueberries to Vietnam worth $1 million (values based on industry,
APHIS, and USDA Foreign Agricultural Service analysis).
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Even for markets that are open to U.S. agricultural products, APHIS must continually
address issues to keep trade flowing smoothly. APHIS works with foreign counterparts to
clarify or streamline certification requirements, making it easier and less costly for U.S.
exporters to move their products overseas. When shipments are held up at foreign ports,
APHIS works with its counterparts to resolve the issues and secure the release of the
shipments. In FY 2019, APHIS successfully secured the release of nearly 200 shipments
worth more than $68 million.
APHIS fosters a successful trading environment for U.S. exports by working to ensure that
the same rules apply to countries around the world through international standard setting.
APHIS emphasizes the use of scientific principles as a basis for international trade decisions
and works with international standard setting bodies such as the World Organisation for
Animal Health and the International Plant Protection Convention. By supporting scientific
decision making internationally and following international standards when considering
what can be imported into the United States, APHIS encourages trading partners to do so as
well, helping provide a level playing field for U.S. agricultural exports.
Agricultural trade is essential for U.S. farmers, ranchers, and producers, and APHIS’
technical and regulatory trade activities support their export opportunities. In FY 2021,
APHIS will continue to support international trade opportunities for America’s animal and
plant products while ensuring that U.S. agriculture is safe from pests and diseases.
Overall, base funding for the OTTO program currently supports salaries and benefits of
personnel, contracts, and agreements, and travel, as well as other normal operating costs
such as supplies, rent, and utilities to support program activities.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $150,000 for a pay increase, performance
awards, and FERS benefits.
A net increase of $373,000 for Safe Trade and International Technical Assistance.
(26) Animal Welfare, An increase of $637,000 ($31,310,000 and 232 staff years available in
the FY 2020 Enacted)
The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) requires animals bred for commercial sale, used in
research, transported commercially, or exhibited to the public receive Federal standards of
care and treatment. APHIS’ Animal Welfare Program ensures the humane care and
treatment of animals covered by the AWA through inspection, learning opportunities, and
enforcement actions. Since the AWA became law in 1966, APHIS has protected millions of
regulated animals used in research, exhibition, and the pet trade as well as those
transported in commerce.
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Before issuing a license, APHIS works closely with potential licensees to ensure they
understand the requirements of the AWA regulations and standards, and will be able to
maintain compliance after obtaining a license from the Agency. In FY 2019, APHIS
conducted 752 pre-licensing inspections, and issued 661 new licenses.
For licensed and registered facilities, the Agency determines on-going compliance by
conducting unannounced inspections. APHIS uses a risk-based inspection system to
support its focused inspection strategy, allowing more frequent and in-depth inspections at
facilities with a higher risk of animal welfare concerns, and fewer at those that are
consistently in compliance. During these inspections, APHIS officials examine and inspect
all areas of animal care and treatment covered under the AWA. The Agency reviews the
animals, premises, facilities, husbandry practices, program of veterinary care, records, and
animal handling procedures. APHIS confirms that the animals receive adequate housing,
transport, veterinary care, and meet husbandry standards as described in the AWA.
Whenever possible, APHIS takes a coordinated and collaborative approach to improve the
welfare of animals. Using non-regulatory methods such as education, training, and outreach
to stakeholders to convey critical and current animal welfare information, APHIS has been
able to reduce inspection frequencies (while staying within legal requirements) for facilities
that have implemented strong animal welfare programs and routinely demonstrate
substantial compliance during unannounced inspections. This allows the Agency to remain
focused on addressing the egregious alleged violators of the AWA, representing
approximately four percent of all licensees/registrants.
When APHIS inspectors discover conditions or records that are noncompliant with AWA
regulations, the Agency may establish a deadline for corrective action and increase
frequency of unannounced inspections to determine whether the facility made the necessary
modifications. Continued, serious noncompliance may warrant an investigation that can
result in sanctions ranging from monetary penalties to suspension or revocation of the
facility’s license, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing. The welfare of animals
nationwide is subject to significant media attention and passionate public engagement. The
American public holds APHIS accountable for ensuring all regulated animals are healthy
and treated humanely. Without this program, the Agency would be unable to enforce the
AWA, and the health and welfare of millions of animals would be severely compromised.
Overall, base funding for the Animal Welfare program currently supports salaries and
benefits of personnel and travel, as well as other normal operating costs such as contracts,
supplies, and equipment to support program activities. In addition, APHIS will pursue
rulemaking to recover portion the cost of providing this activity and return the collections to
Treasury.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $637,000 for a pay increase, performance
awards, and FERS benefits.
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(27) Horse Protection, A net decrease of $279,000 and 4 staff years ($1,000,000 and 10 staff
years available in the FY 2020 Enacted)
APHIS’ Horse Protection program strives to eliminate the cruel and inhumane practice of
soring, which involves applying caustic chemicals and/or mechanical devices to a horse’s
pasterns, causing the horse to experience pain or distress while walking or moving. Soring
changes the gait of a horse so that the animal steps higher, allowing its rider to gain a
competitive edge at horse events. APHIS has the Federal responsibility to uphold the Horse
Protection Act (HPA), which prohibits sore horses from being shown, sold, or transported.
There are an estimated 200,000 Tennessee Walking and Racking Horses in the United States,
with potential show winnings reaching as high as $2.5 million. The management of horse
shows, exhibitions, sales and auctions have statutory responsibility under the HPA to
prevent unfair competition and must identify and disqualify sored horses prior to
participating in HPA-covered events. USDA-certified horse industry organizations train and
license third party inspectors, known as Designated Qualified Persons (DQPs). DQPs
conduct horse inspections at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions affiliated with
these organizations. APHIS attends a select number of HPA-covered events each year to
observe DQP performance and inspect horses for HPA compliance. APHIS’ presence at
horse show events serves as a deterrent; without this program, the Agency would expect to
see an increase in the abusive practice of soring.
Overall, base funding for the Horse Protection program currently supports salaries and
benefits of personnel, and travel, as well as other normal operating expenses such as
necessary contracts, agreements, and equipment for completing programmatic functions.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $16,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
A decrease of $295,000 and 4 staff years for diagnostic testing activities. In addition to
physical inspection, APHIS uses diagnostic tools such as foreign substance testing (e.g.
masking and numbing agents that temporarily block the pain of soring) in support of the
oversight process. At the proposed funding level, APHIS would reduce testing and continue
to rely primarily on physical inspection.
A net increase of 358,000 and a decrease of 4 staff years for Animal Welfare.
(28) APHIS Information Technology Infrastructure, no change ($4,251,000 and 0 staff
years available in the FY 2020 Enacted)
The APHIS Information Technology Infrastructure (AITI) program provides funding for the
hardware, software (including licensing and support costs) and telecommunications
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infrastructure that gives Agency employees office automation tools, Internet access, and
access to mission-critical programs and administrative applications. Funding for this
program supports the stable and secure information infrastructure for those mission-critical
applications and the day-to-day business of APHIS. The AITI priorities are to continually
improve sharing of information across the Agency; improve coordination and accessibility
of information, processes, and resources available to enable APHIS employees to provide
day-to-day services, and support programs in emergencies; and improve APHIS’ cyber-
security.
APHIS works with USDA’s Office of the Chief Information Officer to support the program
goals and manage information technology in a manner consistent with both USDA and
Federal requirements. APHIS also works with other Federal partners, including the
Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection and the Department of
Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure that AITI
provides interoperability and required availability for partner agencies, as needed for
program delivery.
In support of the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act and the USDA
Data Center Optimization Initiative, APHIS completed migration of all business
applications from on-site data centers to the remote cloud servers. As of April 2019, APHIS
closed all on-site Agency data centers. This migration decreases the Agency’s carbon
footprint by using a more energy efficient infrastructure, such as cloud services, and
improves data management, application development, and cost control measures.
APHIS continues to review system security patching rates for the APHIS Enterprise
Infrastructure workstations and servers ensure all systems are kept current with the latest
security patches. In FY 2019, APHIS IT maintained the current version of National Institute
of Standards and Technology and Federal Information Security Management Act testing
standards to continue protecting our cyber security infrastructure and reducing
vulnerabilities of our systems. In addition, the APHIS IT security monitoring system
continues to track and mitigate improper use of personally identifiable information data
stored in the APHIS infrastructure, helping to protect confidential information that could
potentially identify a specific individual.
In addition to security, accessibility to information technology tools is vital to the operations
of the Agency. In FY 2019, AITI maintained its 99.97 percent availability for its key
computing systems as well as a 20.6 minute service-desk response time for the occasions
when personnel experience difficulties accessing computing systems, making this the eighth
consecutive year of high availability and quick response times. In addition, AITI re-
emphasized the avoidance of misuse and/or abuse of IT systems to Agency employees in
support of continued cyber security strengthening efforts.
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Overall, AITI expenditures fund day-to-day operations for the Agency’s IT infrastructure,
including software license renewals and support, as well as other normal operating costs,
such as supplies and equipment.
(29) Physical and Operational Security, An increase of $13,000 ($5,146,000 and 5 staff
years available in the FY 2020 Enacted)
APHIS oversees and implements precautionary measures to ensure continued, efficient
mission operations, and protection from disruption, degradation, or destruction of its
facilities through the Physical and Operational Security (POS) program. The program
provides year-round security measures, such as physical security upgrades, alarms, badging
and identification systems, guard services, security assessments, safety and risk
assessments, workplace violence training, and investigations of both internal and external
threats. These measures protect APHIS employees, as well as visitors and stakeholders from
harm, acts of terrorism, and violence. In addition, this program supports part of USDA’s
contribution to the U.S. Department of State’s continuing implementation of the Capital
Security Cost Sharing program, which provides safe and secure workplaces for all
government employees located overseas.
APHIS provides numerous types of security training, using a variety of formats. In FY 2019,
the program provided training to more than 1,600 agency employees, including seminars
relating to active shooter response, situational awareness, scenario-based role playing,
illegal drugs, self-defense, terrorism, local crime trends, and travel safety. The program also
provided workplace violence training seminars and multiple security briefings for
employees who work along the border or in foreign countries. To enhance preparedness
and response, APHIS continued its required on-line and classroom based active shooter
training for all employees and performed 19 live active shooter training exercises at agency
offices in California, Florida, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and Puerto Rico. This
scenario-based training provided a dynamic, interactive exercise for 400 APHIS personnel,
and over 140 participating local law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical service
personnel. The APHIS active shooter training plan and materials were evaluated by 40 law
enforcement agencies, as well as one of the nation’s leading active shooter private
consulting firm.
APHIS investigates, assesses, and mitigates all internal and external threats directed at
agency facilities, programs and personnel. These threats include, but are not limited to,
death threats, terrorist threats, and assaults. APHIS also works to ensure employee safety in
the same manner, at or near the Mexican border, and at APHIS offices in Mexico, Panama,
and Guatemala. Specifically near the Mexican border, the program investigate threats and
responds to requests for protection for APHIS employees such as veterinarians and
inspectors who enforce regulations in challenging environments. As a result, in FY 2019,
APHIS investigated 80 external threats to its employees, and 63 workplace violence
incidents to ensure employee safety.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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Additionally, APHIS ensures the safety of its employees who enforce the Animal Welfare
Act (AWA) and Horse Protection Act (HPA). APHIS security specialists investigate threats
and respond to requests for protection throughout the country for APHIS veterinarians and
inspectors who are enforcing regulations in challenging environments. In FY 2019, the
program provided security during 16 inspections of regulated AWA entities, 49 HPA
events, and provided protection for more than 20 personnel representing Federal agencies at
a multi-day AWA hearing. Program personnel also worked across the agency to develop
standard operating procedures for security support for AWA and HPA inspections and
investigations.
The Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 and Interagency Security Committee (ISC)
directives create the standard for secure and reliable forms of identification for facility and
network access and compliance regarding physical security at Federal facilities. In support
of this standard, APHIS completed physical security assessments at 12 facilities, and began
reassessing 184 previous facility assessments using the updated ISC criteria and USDA
reporting format. As a result, APHIS provided security upgrades and repairs for a total of
108 facilities in FY 2019. In addition, the program is also responsible for issuing, activating,
or updating approximately 3,800 new or renewed personal identification verification cards
to APHIS personnel.
APHIS also works with other USDA agencies, the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S.
Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of State, and local law enforcement
agencies to ensure that the appropriate organization takes the lead, contributes to program
costs, and integrates security where employees are co-located overseas. APHIS maintains a
presence overseas to facilitate agricultural trade and monitor pest and disease threats. The
Security Embassy Construction Counterterrorism Act’s Capital Security Cost Sharing
Program requires the agency to help fund the construction of new Embassy compounds
based on the number of authorized positions. The program worked with the U.S.
Department of State to establish a security baseline for APHIS facilities overseas. In FY 2019,
APHIS had approximately 300 full-time employees based in countries around the world.
This program provides safe and secure diplomatic facilities for the agency’s overseas
personnel. In FY 2020, the program will ensure continued mission operations and protection
from disruption, degradation, or destruction of its facilities.
Overall, base funding for the POS program currently supports contracts, programmatic
agreements, and personnel costs, as well as other normal operating expenses such as travel
and supplies. In addition, this program supports the mandatory cost share with the
Department of State for the Capital Security Cost-Sharing program.
APHIS is requesting increased funding of $13,000 for a pay increase, performance awards,
and FERS benefits.
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(30) Rent and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Security Payments, no change
($42,567,000 and 0 staff years available in the FY 2020 Enacted)
APHIS personnel are in every State working to carry out our mission and the Rental and
DHS Security Payments program assists the agency in strategically managing the payment
portfolio of approximately 230 General Services Administration occupancy agreements,
DHS security payments, as well as other leased, owned, and agreement funded facilities.
For example, the funding for this program ensures that APHIS programs and employees
can effectively and efficiently carry out all mission-related activities, including surveillance
for animal and plant pests and diseases, pest and disease eradication programs, diagnostic
and methods development work at laboratories, animal welfare inspections, and wildlife
damage management activities. APHIS continually identifies opportunities to consolidate,
reduce or transform spaces to most effectively and efficiently manage space. For example, in
FY 2019 the Agency consolidated three leases into one Raleigh Hub lease. Without funding
for rent and security payments, APHIS would have to cover these costs by reducing
program activities, decreasing levels of service, and diverting fiscal resources from other
appropriated line items. Additionally, this funding will support the agency in continuing to
meet the new Departmental goal of reducing its footprint by 5 percent (1 percent annually)
by 2022.
Overall, base funding for the program currently maintains rent payments and security
agreements in support of program activities.
A net increase of $13,000 for Agency-Wide Programs.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Administrative Collection of User Fees
In FY 2021, USDA will administratively implement fees to cover the Government’s full cost for
providing certain services to certain beneficiaries. The Administration will promulgate
regulations for the following new or expanded fees for services provided by the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service related to: licenses for animal dealers, veterinary biologics
product approval, and regulatory review of genetically engineered organisms.
Unlike some fees which are specifically authorized in statute and where USDA is allowed to
retain proceeds from collections, the fees assessed under this administrative authority would
be returned to Treasury and offset Government spending. For this reason, the FY 2021 Budget
fully funds the underlying costs incurred by the agency in providing the services for which the
user fees will be developed. These costs are estimates that will be refined as the agency moves
forward with rulemaking to define the scope of services covered by these user fees and the
associated cost of providing those services.
Fees to Cover Costs of Licensing and Other
Related Activities (millions of dollars)
2021 2022 10 Year
Total
Animal Welfare Licensing for Animal Dealers
-$5
-$9
-$94
Regulatory Review of Genetically Engineered
Organisms
-$2
-$5
-$48
Veterinary Biologics Product Approval
-$5
-$10
-$107
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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GEOGRAPHICAL BREAKDOWN OF OBLIGATIONS AND STAFF YEARS
((dollars in thousands; staff years (SY))
State/Territory/Country
2018
Actual
SY
2019
Actual
SY
2020
Enacted
SY
2021
Budget
SY
Alabama....................................
$4,587 27 $5,412 30 $5,529 36 $5,615
35
Alaska........................................ 556 1 587 2 600 2 606 2
Arizona...................................... 9,839 53 9,114 50 9,311 59 9,409 58
Arkansas.................................... 4,053 20 4,099 21 4,188 26 4,273 25
California................................... 89,184 141 124,760 185 127,460 218 119,144 191
Colorado..................................... 56,522 341 56,561 320 57,785 378 59,273 372
Connecticut................................ 1,285 5 1,107 6 1,131 7 1,156 7
Delaware.................................... 1,040 4 2,032 3 2,076 4 2,073 4
Florida........................................ 47,670 239 53,503 216 54,661 255 55,115 253
Georgia....................................... 6,366 40 6,495 39 6,636 46 6,738 45
Hawaii....................................... 25,912 283 26,335 285 26,905 336 27,591 331
Idaho.......................................... 9,026 64 9,861 66 10,075 78 10,217 77
Illinois........................................ 3,712 28 3,648 29 3,727 35 3,809 34
Indiana....................................... 4,111 26 4,223 27 4,315 33 4,396 32
Iowa........................................... 73,028 319 74,974 274 76,596 324 76,335 348
Kansas........................................ 4,020 25 4,722 25 4,824 29 11,650 42
Kentucky.................................... 4,786 28 4,828 31 4,932 36 5,051 35
Louisiana.................................... 4,280 25 4,764 26 4,867 31 4,920 30
Maine......................................... 1,390 9 1,325 8 1,354 9 1,371 9
Maryland................................... 282,321 814 281,530 744 287,622 879 294,682 870
Massachusetts............................. 20,214 100 22,024 103 22,501 121 22,699 120
Michigan.................................... 6,576 45 7,878 49 8,048 58 3,591 47
Minnesota.................................. 21,886 160 29,644 181 30,286 214 30,706 212
Mississippi.................................. 8,671 47 8,554 43 8,739 51 8,834 50
Missouri..................................... 10,026 47 9,400 47 9,603 56 9,718 56
Montana..................................... 6,190 41 6,629 40 6,773 48 6,879 47
Nebraska.................................... 4,027 23 3,173 22 3,242 26 3,513 26
Nevada....................................... 2,537 20 2,561 22 2,616 26 2,672 25
New Hampshire......................... 16,988 20 16,850 18 17,215 21 17,145 21
New Jersey................................. 3,976 18 8,046 20 8,220 23 8,247 23
New Mexico............................... 5,220 36 4,566 33 4,665 39 4,756 38
New York................................... 36,826 126 34,961 111 35,718 131 35,837 129
North Carolina........................... 41,703 214 42,498 182 43,418 214 44,133 212
North Dakota............................. 2,742 16 2,978 17 3,042 20 3,104 20
Ohio........................................... 16,912 75 16,519 80 16,876 94 17,030 93
Oklahoma.................................. 5,705 43 7,076 42 7,229 50 7,355 49
Oregon....................................... 6,778 27 6,582 27 6,725 32 6,791 31
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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State/Territory/Country
2018
Actual
SY
2019
Actual
SY
2020
Enacted
SY
2021
Budget
SY
Pennsylvania..............................
17,975
50
25,390 94 25,939 111 29,660 116
Rhode Island.............................. 354 1 336 1 343 1 347 1
South Carolina........................... 3,346 22 3,705 25 3,786 29 3,858 28
South Dakota............................. 2,656 15 2,198 15 2,245 17 2,296 17
Tennessee................................... 7,608 40 7,068 40 7,220 48 7,326 47
Texas.......................................... 58,192 342 58,400 343 59,664 405 60,380 400
Utah........................................... 7,017 42 7,465 41 7,626 48 7,720 47
Vermont..................................... 1,217 9 1,289 9 1,316 11 1,354 11
Virginia...................................... 8,783 31 9,420 31 9,624 37 9,715 36
Washington................................ 8,668 29 8,821 28 9,012 33 9,085 32
West Virginia.............................. 2,606 16 2,683 17 2,741 20 2,796 20
Wisconsin................................... 3,990 23 4,668 22 4,769 27 4,839 26
Wyoming................................... 3,727 30 4,367 28 4,462 34 4,525 33
U.S. TERRITORIES:
District of Columbia................... 20,629 72 22,449 80 22,934 80 22,977 80
Guam......................................... 873 3 854 1 873 1 869 1
Puerto Rico................................. 8,968 113 9,580 116 9,787 116 10,041 116
Virgin Islands............................. 231 1 187 1 191 1 195 1
INTERNATIONAL REGIONS
AFRICA:
Egypt.......................................... - - - - - - 918 2
Ethiopia...................................... - - - - - - 1,050 2
South Africa............................... 713 2 865 2 864 2 864 2
Senegal....................................... 735 1 888 2 887 2 - -
Other.......................................... 159 - 150 - 150 - 150 -
ASIA/PACIFIC:
China......................................... 1,602 2 1,936 4 1,933 4 1,933 4
Japan.......................................... 1,412 2 1,507 2 1,505 2 1,505 2
South Korea............................... 500 1 529 1 528 1 528 1
United Arab Emirates................ - - - - - - 2,066 2
Other.......................................... 2,645 5 3,446 6 3,441 6 3,015 5
CARIBBEAN:
Dominican Republic................... 600 1 506 1 505 1 505 1
Other.......................................... 131 - 42 - 42 - 42 -
CENTRAL AMERICA:
Guatemala................................. 21,283 2 31,700 5 31,655 5 31,655 5
Panama...................................... 14,944 7 14,569 4 14,548 4 14,548 4
Other.......................................... 1,081 1 878 - 877 - 99 -
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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State/Territory/Country
2018
Actual
SY
2019
Actual
SY
2020
Enacted
SY
2021
Budget
SY
EUROPE/NEAR EAST:
Austria....................................... 321 - 352 - 352 - 352 -
Belgium...................................... 1,376 2 1,527 2 1,525 2 1,525 2
Other.......................................... 689 2 265 1 265 1 265 1
NORTH AMERICA:
Canada....................................... 238 - - - - - - -
Mexico........................................ 7,112 2 5,300 3 5,292 3 5,292 3
SOUTH AMERICA:
Brazil.......................................... 835 2 1,027 2 1,026 2 1,026 2
Chile........................................... 248 - 238 - 238 - 238 -
Other.......................................... 1,915 2 2,245 3 2,242 3 1,666 3
Obligations.............................. 1,066,044 4,421 1,146,670 4,354 1,169,917 5,101 1,183,653 5,061
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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CLASSIFICATION BY OBJECTS
(dollars in thousands)
Item
No.
Item
2018 Actual
2019
Actual
2020
Enacted
2021
Budget
Personnel Compensation:
Washington D.C. $82,205 $82,126 $88,063 $91,558
Personnel Compensation, Field 275,208 274,944 299,400 306,520
11.0 Total personnel compensation 357,413 357,070 387,463 398,078
12.0 Personal benefits 120,731 122,554 138,316 142,081
13.0 Benefits for former personnel 571 1,306 651 651
Total, personnel comp. and benefits 478,714 480,930 526,430 540,810
Other Objects:
21.0 Travel and transportation of persons 29,579 32,284 32,284 32,707
22.0 Transportation of things 2,117 2,479 2,279 2,280
23.1 Rental payments to GSA 39,315 36,746 36,746 36,800
23.2 Rental payments to others 9,938 10,763 10,463 10,563
23.3 Communications, utilities, and misc. charges 16,010 18,202 18,202 18,302
24.0 Printing and reproduction 627 765 765 765
25.0 Other contractual services 11,722 34,190 25,190 26,948
25.1 Contractual Services Performed by Other Federal Agencies 78,286 80,025 80,405 82,570
25.2 Related Expenditures 4,651 4,322 4,322 4,798
25.3
Repair, Alteration or Maintenance of Equipment, Furniture
or Structure
8,085 6,007 6,007 7,150
25.4 Contractual Services - Other 49,102 53,670 53,797 54,110
25.5 Agreements 242,667 287,819 285,819 278,246
25.6 IT Services and Supplies 12,501 3,906 3,906 4,156
25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment 7,722 5,580 5,580 4,962
25.8 Subsistence and support of persons 644 1,210 1,010 1,010
26.0 Supplies and materials 44,230 46,464 45,464 45,538
31.0 Equipment 22,679 28,149 25,089 26,779
32.0 Land and structures - 127 127 127
41.0 Grants, Subsidies, and Contributions 366 249 249 249
42.0 Insurance Claims and Indemnities 7,088 12,783 5,783 4,783
Total, Other Objects 587,330 665,740 643,487 642,843
99.9 Total, new obligations 1,066,044 1,146,670 1,169,917 1,183,653
DHS Building Security Payments (included in 25.3)............... $2,810 $3,099 $3,107 $3,115
Position Data:
Average Salary (dollars), ES Position $183,124 $183,728 $186,484 $189,281
Average Salary (dollars), GS Position $84,962 $87,208 $88,516 $89,844
Average Grade, GS Position 10.8 10.9 10.9 10.9
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STATUS OF PROGRAMS – SALARIES AND EXPENSES
SAFEGUARDING AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS/RESPONSE
Selected Examples of Recent Progress - Animal Health:
1. Animal Health Technical Services
APHIS’ Animal Health Technical Services (AHTS) develops and enhances tools for acquiring
and managing information vital for improving global market access for U.S. livestock and
animal products.
Animal Disease Traceability (ADT)
In FY 2019, APHIS initiated national priority trace exercises where States treat the trace as a
national emergency. After the first round of these national priority trace exercises, States
averaged approximately 2.5 hours to complete the exercise at a success rate of 98 percent. The
ADT Program will continue to administer national priority trace exercises in FY 2020, as part of
its performance-based program to evaluate States’ ability to successfully complete a trace
investigation.
In FY 2019, APHIS began the planning process to move away from free metal ear tags and
towards using official radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. In FY 2020, APHIS plans to
seek comment on a proposal to discontinue providing free metal tags as part of the program.
APHIS is working with State animal health officials to identify funding to offset the cost of
official RFID ear tags, reducing the cost that producers pay for RFID ear tags. Additionally, in
FY 2019, APHIS and State partners began a pilot to provide funding to support electronic
readers for slaughter facilities and accredited veterinarians as a critical component to
implementing the electronic system.
To further strengthen the nation’s animal disease traceability capabilities, the ADT program
began several information technology initiatives. In FY 2019, APHIS worked with States and
industries to increase the volume of electronically generated and stored Interstate Certificates of
Veterinary Inspection (ICVI), which are the primary documents the Agency uses to track animal
movement. Data can now be captured electronically without entering data from handwritten
documents or scanning paper records.
Information Management
In FY 2019, APHIS analyzed the ADT Information System and identified business improvement
opportunities, including a large-scale retirement of animal health tags. Removing tens of
thousands of tags from the ADT Information System will reduce query/transaction time for
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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completing a trace investigation. APHIS will complete the analysis in FY 2020, and initiate the
modernization project.
Additionally, in FY2019, APHIS began its modernization project for the Mobile Information
Management system which captures data from multiple input systems and provides messages
of collated data to State, Tribal, and Federal information systems. The system’s modernization
effort will minimizes the burden of manually recording animal information by producers and
accredited veterinarians, while improving data collection, retrieval and sharing processes.
APHIS was able to complete phase I of this modernization project in FY 2019. Phases II and III
are projected to be completed by the end of FY 2020.
Modeling
In FY 2019, APHIS continued to develop and/or update disease-spread and control models for
African swine fever, classical swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), highly pathogenic
avian influenza, and virulent Newcastle disease.
National Veterinary Accreditation Program (NVAP)
APHIS currently hosts 30 web-based supplemental training modules for accredited
veterinarians. Since FY 2011, accredited veterinarians have completed more than 700,000 web
modules, with more than 40,000 modules completed at veterinary conferences nationwide.
2. Aquatic Animal Health
In FY 2019, APHIS continued working with the National Aquaculture Association to develop
the Commercial Aquaculture Health Program Standards (CAHPS), a national and uniform
approach to health standards for aquaculture. The goal of CAHPS is to support improved
health management, protection and expansion of aquaculture business opportunities,
promotion and facilitation of trade, and improved resource protection.
There were three detections of infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus
(IHHNV) in crustaceans within the United States. IHHNV is a viral disease that causes mass
mortality among Western blue shrimp and severe deformations in Pacific white shrimp. During
the investigation of IHHNV, APHIS’ National Veterinary Services Laboratories tested more
than 1,900 animals for IHHNV.
3. Avian Health
The Avian Health program protects the U.S. poultry industry, while facilitating agricultural
trade in poultry and poultry products.
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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Surveillance, Prevention, and Control of Avian Diseases
In FY 2019, APHIS continued to provide guidance to commercial poultry operations who now
must have successfully audited biosecurity plans by August 2020 to be eligible for indemnity
and compensation payments. In April 2019, USDA published a notice
advising the public about
changes to the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) Program Standards including
updated testing procedures and added or clarified compartmentalization requirements and
sanitation standards.
In FY 2019, there were two detections of H5/H7 low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) in the
U.S. Live Bird Marketing Systems (LBMS). Both premises were depopulated and cleaned and
disinfected before quarantine release and restocking. Virulent Newcastle disease (vND) was not
detected in U.S. live bird markets in FY 2019.
In FY 2019, there were two confirmed LPAI detections in U.S. commercial poultry. H5N2 LPAI
was confirmed in October 2018 in a Minnesota commercial turkey flock, and H5N2 LPAI was
also confirmed in a separate incident in April 2019 in a California flock of commercial ducks.
In FY 2019, APHIS coordinated the collection and laboratory analysis of approximately 1,100
wild bird samples from Alaska and California. No HPAI was detected in the FY 2019 samples.
In addition, the agency continued to collaborate with researchers in China on HPAI surveillance
and at the University of Missouri and Mississippi State University on ecological and genetic
studies of avian influenza in wild birds. Scientists at the WS-National Wildlife Research Center
identified several species of wildlife commonly found on farms that may play an important role
in facilitating viruses in breaching biosecurity.
Regulatory enforcement is critical to contain HPAI. To deter the entry and support the
containment and eradication of HPAI, in FY 2019 APHIS investigated five cases involving avian
health issues and entered into pre-litigation settlements with three alleged violators of the
Animal Health Protection Act. APHIS also conducted surveillance on multiple live bird markets
within one geographic area after several area markets tested positive for low path avian
influenza.
Despite increasingly intensified efforts by APHIS and the California Department of Food and
Agriculture (CDFA) to contain the spread of vND, APHIS had identified 473 infected premises
by September 30, 2019. While most of these cases involved backyard birds, four commercial
chicken flocks in Riverside County, California, were confirmed infected between November
2018 and January 2019. To eliminate the vND virus, a joint APHIS-CDFA incident management
team (IMT) worked to depopulate infected premises and exposed flocks, and to conduct
diagnostic testing to identify new or potential infection sources. The CDFA established a Regional
Quarantine Area (RQA) to require the reporting of sick birds, and to prohibit poultry owners
from moving birds from all of Los Angeles County and from large areas of San Bernardino and
Riverside counties. The IMT has been creating outreach information and educational
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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opportunities, and delivering them to industry, backyard bird owners, stakeholders, and the
public on disease prevention, mitigation, and biosecurity procedures. In addition to managing
infected backyard premises, the IMT is working with commercial premises in and around the
RQA to prevent infection, monitor for disease, and restock previously affected commercial
premises. The California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System tests samples, and
APHIS’ National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, confirms all findings.
Disease Threat Planning and Response
APHIS manages the NPIP U.S. Poultry Primary Breeder AI Compartmentalization program
which audits and certifies pedigree poultry stock breeding companies that practice high-level
biosecurity measures to keep their flocks free of AI. In FY 2019, APHIS conducted recertification
audits for Aviagen, the first company to attain poultry primary breeder status as an NPIP U.S.
AI Clean Compartment. In August 2019, NPIP certified Cobb-Vantress’ U.S. operations as the
second AI Clean Compartment.
In FY 2019, APHIS continued to support the Zoo and Aquariums All Hazards Preparedness,
Response, and Recovery (ZAHP) Center to facilitate business continuity during disasters and
foreign animal disease (FAD) events. The Agency continues to refine the Secure Zoo Strategy,
which addresses the challenges that FADs pose to the managed wildlife community through
mitigation, protection, response, and recovery efforts. ZAHP raised concerns from California
zoos during the 2019 vND outbreak and produced an April 2019 memorandum "vND Response
2019 Euthanasia of Non-Poultry Species, version 4.16.2019” to exempt zoological collections
from the depopulation efforts described in national FAD policy.
International Avian Health Activities
In FY 2019, APHIS delivered more than 10 capacity-building activities in the areas of
biosecurity, poultry disease diagnostics, quality assurance in the laboratory, poultry and
wildlife surveillance. APHIS conducted two projects in South America related to improving
emergency preparedness and HPAI surveillance in Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile
and Colombia. APHIS also worked with 13 wildlife veterinarians from Africa and Asia on HPAI
surveillance. In addition, APHIS conducted a training in India on the World Health
Organization’s code of regionalization to increase understanding and utilization of
regionalization as a disease control strategy for avian diseases and provided the up-to-date
science-based knowledge on surveillance, zoning, and compartmentalization for avian disease
control and to facilitate trade.
In addition, APHIS sponsors and staffs the Emergency Management Center at the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in Rome, Italy. APHIS provided one full-time
veterinarian for this Center, which helps countries respond to animal disease threats, and
reduces the threat of outbreaks from becoming widespread and evolving into pandemics.
APHIS also ensures that U.S. trading partners adhere to the sanitary and phytosanitary rules of
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
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the World Trade Organization and other international standard-setting organization. For
example, the United States established a new partnership with OIE and placed a veterinarian at
the organization’s headquarters in Paris, France.
The WS-National Wildlife Research Center, in collaboration with Wildlife Services, Veterinary
Services, and International Services, hosted an International Wildlife Disease Surveillance and
Monitoring Course, an international group of wildlife veterinarians in September for a week-
long course on wildlife disease surveillance including mammals and birds. The 14 participants
from 9 countries learned about all aspects of wildlife disease surveillance, including hands on
necropsy and sample collection.
4. Cattle Health
The Cattle Health Program has two major goals: to rapidly detect and respond to diseases that
could significantly affect the U.S. cattle and bison population, and prevent the spread of any
newly detected disease in the United States as well as endemic domestic cattle and bison
diseases of concern.
Bovine tuberculosis
Bovine TB primarily affects cattle but has the potential to affect other animal species and
humans as well. Today the prevalence rate in cattle herds is less than 0.001 percent. In FY 2019,
approximately 140 Federally-inspected slaughter establishments submitted 4,141 samples for TB
testing.
Through these slaughter surveillance efforts, the program detected TB in nine animals in FY
2019: one from Texas, two from North Dakota, one from New Mexico, and 1 from Mexico. The
investigations to determine the herd of origin are still ongoing for the remaining 4 animals.
APHIS uses a mix of depopulation and test-and-removal strategies to address bovine TB-
affected herds. The herds of origin linked in the epidemiological investigations were all placed
under herd management plans, except for the Mexican herd. The herds identified are either
completing or have completed a test and remove protocol or were depopulated. At the end of
FY 2019, 49 States, two Territories (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and one zone were
TB accredited free.
Bovine brucellosis
Bovine brucellosis is an infectious disease that can cause decreased milk production, weight
loss, abortions, infertility, and lameness. These effects can negatively impact the livelihood of
cattle producers and the supply of meat and dairy products.
In FY 2019, APHIS tested approximately 639,000 head of cattle under the market cattle
identification national slaughter surveillance program. The Agency, in conjunction with States,
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also tests cattle and domestic bison on farms or ranches for movement, private sale, issue of
herd certification, and for show or exhibition purposes. In FY 2019, the program tested and
vaccinated over 3.7 million calves and 18,000 adult cattle for brucellosis, and certified 337 herds
as brucellosis-free cattle herds. Agency-accredited veterinarians perform most of the
vaccinations and the collection of samples, and State laboratories test the samples.
There were three new brucellosis affected herds detected in FY 2019. All three herds were beef
herds detected in Wyoming’s designated surveillance area during annual certification tests.
Two herds underwent a test-and-remove herd management plan and were subsequently
released from quarantine in FY 2019. The third herd was depopulated due to owner preference.
There is no indication that brucellosis has spread outside the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA).
This area is APHIS’ main focus for brucellosis in livestock because the disease is endemic there
in wild elk and bison.
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), widely referred to as “mad cow disease,” is a
progressive and fatal neurologic disease of cattle. The primary route of spread of classical BSE
infection in cattle is feed contaminated with the infectious agent.
In FY 2019, the Agency tested for BSE in 17,886 cattle, resulting in 278,846 points, exceeding the
OIE’s international surveillance standards (21,429 points per year) by 13 times. No cases of BSE
were detected in FY 2019.
Cattle fever tick
The Federal-State Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program is a partnership between APHIS and
the Texas Animal Health Commission. The cattle fever tick (Boophilus annulatus) and the
southern cattle tick (B. microplus) are vectors for spreading babesiosis, also known as cattle
fever.
The United States remains free of cattle fever. There is a permanent quarantine buffer zone
established between Texas and Mexico.
In FY 2019, APHIS conducted 114,463 individual animal inspections and 95,145 treatments
throughout South Texas. For FY 2019, the quarantine zone and the free area of Texas contained
79 newly quarantined premises, compared to 110 in FY 2018. Additionally, APHIS collaborated
with the Agricultural Research Service on several projects in FY 2019, including studies on long-
lasting anti-parasitic products that prevent or control ticks and on-going research to create cost-
efficient ultra-quiet sprayers for treating ticks found in wildlife animals such as nilgai and white
tail deer. In FY 2019, APHIS commissioned an external review of the cattle fever tick eradication
program to evaluate the efficacy of current mitigation and control strategies. The findings from
this review will help APHIS and its partner agencies improve upon current strategies that
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prevent tick infested wildlife coming into contact with U.S. livestock, and integrate new
mitigation techniques for eradicating the tick from infested premises.
Screwworm
APHIS and its cooperators have eradicated screwworm from the United States, Mexico, Belize,
Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and down to the southern-most
portion of Panama. In FY 2019, there were 63 positive screwworm cases in the barrier zone, with
52 of them located in the area of Jaque near the border with Colombia. The cases in Jaque are
primarily due to inclement weather limiting the ability of the dispersal planes to fly at low
altitudes and continued illegal movement of infested animals from Colombia into Panama. In
response, the program is conducting ground releases in the infected area and continuing to
monitor for additional cases.
5. Equine, Cervid and Small Ruminant Health
The Equine, Cervid, and Small Ruminant Health (ECSRH) program conducted disease
surveillance and/or monitoring for the following diseases in FY 2019: scrapie, bovine
tuberculosis (TB), chronic wasting disease (CWD), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), contagious
equine metritis (CEM), equine piroplasmosis (EP), Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), West Nile
Virus (WNV) and equine infectious anemia (EIA).
Sheep and Goat
The National Scrapie Eradication Program (NSEP) focuses on improving the health of the
national sheep flock and goat herd, reducing scrapie-associated economic losses and increasing
international marketing opportunities.
In FY 2019, APHIS collected samples from 34,730 sheep and goats for scrapie testing, detecting 7
classical scrapie positive animals. Of these animals, five sheep and one goat were from a source
flock in Pennsylvania that was found in August 2018, depopulated in October 2018, and tested
for scrapie in November 2018. A second goat, which was from an Indiana herd, was sampled at
slaughter in June 2019. The source flock completed a cleanup plan and was placed on a 5-year
monitoring plan. The source herd of the positive Indiana goat no longer contained any exposed
animals and was also placed on a 5-year monitoring plan. A trace-back investigation narrowed
the goat’s birth herd to two possible herds. Animals in both herds tested negative for scrapie
and were placed on 5-year monitoring plans. There were no classical scrapie cases detected in
slaughter sheep in FY 2019. Also in FY 2019, two sheep tested positive at slaughter for non-
classical scrapie (Nor98-like) and were traced back to Colorado flocks. Unlike classical scrapie,
non-classical scrapie is either not laterally transmissible or is transmissible at a very low rate,
and the OIE and APHIS determined that it is not a disease of trade concern.
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The NSEP has a voluntary flock certification component, the Scrapie Free Flock Certification
Program (SFCP). Participation in the SFCP enables producers to enhance the marketability of
their animals by protecting them from scrapie and provides participants an avenue to export
sheep and goats. At the end of FY 2019, 235 flocks were enrolled in the SFCP. Of these, 43 were
export certified (scrapie-free), 48 were export monitored (working toward scrapie freedom), and
144 were select monitored (reduced scrapie risk).
In FY 2019, APHIS updated the National Scrapie Surveillance Plan and sampling minimums to
align scrapie surveillance efforts with the current disease situation and the recently published
Scrapie Final Rule. The surveillance plan and the new sampling minimum calculations will go
into effect for FY 2020. The new rule allows for a more flexible approach to disease
investigations and affected flock management, and brings goat identification and recordkeeping
requirements up to the same level as was previously in place for sheep.
Cervids
In FY 2019, the program tested 10,285 animals utilizing the Dual Path Platform (DPP) blood test
and 2,658 animals utilizing the Single Cervical Test (SCT) for TB. Of the cervids tested using
DPP, 27 suspects were identified on the first round of testing and 9 were classified as reactors
based on the second round of testing. Of the cervids tested using SCT, 41 suspects were
identified on the first round of testing, and 0 were classified as suspects or reactors on the
follow up Comparative Cervical Test. The program necropsied 8 of the 9 reactors from the DPP
test, and their tissues were tested and ultimately found negative for TB. The remaining reactor
is scheduled for necropsy in FY 2020.
In FY 2019, APHIS started a pilot project to evaluate the DPP test for TB in mule and sika deer.
The project utilizes serum samples that designated accredited veterinarians submitted for herd
TB certification purposes. The project will collect samples from 306 animals of each species
submitted in accordance with APHIS guidelines. The agency will consider tests conducted as
part of the pilot to be official TB tests. In FY 2019, 10 mule deer were tested as part of the project
and all 10 tested negative.
Currently, 28 States participate in APHIS’ voluntary national CWD Herd Certification Plan
(HCP). In FY 2019 APHIS tested more than 11,000 farmed cervids for CWD. As a result, APHIS
identified 17 new CWD positive farmed cervid herds. APHIS provided Federal indemnity to
depopulate 7 of the 17 newly identified deer herds in FY 2019. The remaining infected herds
found in FY 2019 are under State quarantines.
Equines
APHIS provides expertise and helps develop the industry’s National Equine Health Plan, which
functions as a roadmap for owners, veterinarians, and industry organizations to coordinate
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with State and Federal animal health officials to recognize, prevent, control, and respond to
diseases.
In FY 2019, APHIS coordinated with States and industry to develop national disease control
strategies, and provided oversight, coordination and implementation of appropriate policies. In
FY 2019, positive detections of VSV, EIA and EP, identified during routine surveillance, led to
robust response activities. These responses include: the coordination of State and Federal
activities; investigations by APHIS trained Foreign Animal Disease Diagnosticians who
diagnose, sample, and test cohorts; trace-back investigations; euthanasia for EIA; treatment for
EP; or lifetime quarantines in the case of EIA and EP; notification of OIE or trading partners; the
gathering of epidemiologic data; and data analysis.
APHIS collaborated with States and other Federal agencies in the reporting of equine cases of
certain zoonotic diseases such as EEE and WNV. In FY 2019, APHIS maintained certification
and annual proficiency testing for 20 equine viral arteritis laboratories, 13 EP laboratories, and
13 CEM laboratories and additionally certified and conducted annual proficiency testing for 429
EIA laboratories.
6. National Veterinary Stockpile
The National Veterinary Stockpile (NVS), overseen by APHIS’ Field Operations Logistics
Center, serves as the primary source of materials, supplies, and equipment for the response to,
control of, and containment of significant animal disease outbreaks.
The NVS continuously evaluates their inventory of supplies and replaces expired inventory. In
FY 2019, the NVS acquired additional euthanasia equipment, specifically trailers used for
euthanizing poultry during an emergency response. The NVS provided numerous shipments of
personal protective equipment, supplies and equipment that were used by on-the-ground
responders to combat the virulent Newcastle disease outbreak in California, within 24 hours.
The NVS is continuously seeking additional technology to support a response to an incursion of
foreign animal diseases, such as African swine fever.
The NVS seeks opportunities to coordinate and support activities with States. In FY 2019, the
program focused its activities on State preparedness, and conducted exercises with Minnesota,
Oklahoma, and Iowa. NVS personnel facilitated planning and training exercises to identify
resource gaps and improve state preparedness plans. In addition to exercise activities, the NVS
conducted additional outreach by partnering with APHIS Field Operations personnel to
conduct training and drills to improve communication, collaboration, and integration during a
logistics emergency response.
Also, in FY 2019, APHIS continued to update and maintain the North American Foot and
Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank (NAFMDVB) as part of the agency’s animal health readiness
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initiative. The NAFMDVB is a vaccine stockpile that APHIS, Mexico, and Canada cooperatively
support.
7. Swine Health
APHIS’ Swine Health Program facilitates trade in swine and pork products, and addresses
swine health issues at the human-swine interface and between wildlife and domestic swine.
APHIS activities include comprehensive and integrated swine surveillance, emergency
preparedness and response planning, disease investigation and control activities, zoonotic
disease prevention and response, swine health studies and special projects, collaborations on
emerging issues, and outreach and communication with stakeholders.
APHIS collects swine samples from various surveillance streams as part of a comprehensive
integrated surveillance approach to detect various swine diseases that could substantially affect
domestic producers and the national economy.
In FY 2019, APHIS tested 86,742 samples for pseudorabies virus (PRV); 86,742 for swine
brucellosis; 1,055 for influenza A virus – swine (IAV-S); and 12,705 for Classical Swine Fever
(CSF). Of the samples tested for CSF, the Agency’s Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic
Laboratory on Plum Island, New York tested 2,643 samples, the Agency’s National Veterinary
Services Laboratory at Ames, Iowa tested 4,305 samples and the National Animal Health
Laboratories Network (NAHLN) tested 5,757 samples. APHIS began an active African swine
fever (ASF) surveillance program in June 2019 and tested 1,550 samples at approved NAHLN
laboratories. The testing received as of October 2019, continued to confirm that all commercial
swine herds were free from swine brucellosis and PRV, however swine brucellosis and PRV
continue to be found in non-commercial herds following exposure to feral swine. In FY 2019,
two non-commercial herds were identified as PRV test-positive, and five non-commercial herds
were found to be test-positive for swine brucellosis in four States, some States have ongoing
investigations and complete FY 2019 herd data will not be available until after January 2020.
CSF remains eradicated from the United States, and the United States also continues to be free
of ASF.
In FY 2019, APHIS efforts led to whole genomic sequencing of approximately 250 IAV-S
samples entered into this program. In FY 2019, APHIS performed 1,135 (1,095 were vesicular)
investigations in swine for foreign animal diseases (FAD), and all were negative.
In FY 2019, public health officials reported one human variant influenza A case but it is unclear
from available data whether the case was a result of swine exposure. State public health and
animal health officials, with support from APHIS and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, investigated all outbreaks. The Agency offers assistance to States and industry to
identify the isolates from the swine associated with these outbreaks, if warranted. In FY 2019,
APHIS continued working with the swine industry to further evaluate the development of a
negligible risk compartment for trichinella. Establishment of a negligible risk compartment will
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allow the U.S. pork industry to access and protect international markets for fresh pork without
need for other mitigations such as individual carcass testing or freezing.
In FY 2019, APHIS supported special projects to advance scientific knowledge, situational
awareness, rapid disease detection, advance information technology to support comprehensive
surveillance and to advance diagnostic tests that are critical to the Agency’s ability to respond to
swine and human health events. Specifically, APHIS and industry stakeholders continued
validating tests for use of oral fluids in swine FAD diagnostics (CSF, ASF, and FMD). Oral
fluids testing validation is still in progress and additional information is needed to complete
validation.
8. Veterinary Biologics
APHIS’ Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) regulates veterinary biological products under
the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act to ensure that these products are pure, safe, potent, and effective.
Licensed Products and Inspections
In FY 2019, APHIS received 154 applications for new and renewal licenses/permits, and issued
26 licenses/permits for the prevention, diagnosis, management, or cure of existing or
new/emerging animal diseases. In FY 2019, the Agency licensed 90 manufacturers and
permittees for 1,638 active product licenses/permits for the control of 280 animal diseases.
APHIS continued implementing the single-tier labeling rule, which changes the efficacy
descriptions for veterinary biologics to a single, uniform label claim. This simpler format better
communicates product performance, saves time and money for the manufacturer, and makes
U.S. labeling more consistent with other products in international markets. In addition, APHIS
clearly defined policy to allow the use of platform and prescription vaccines. These innovative
policies allow stakeholders the flexibility to quickly change vaccines to match emerging and
changing pathogen threats with very limited risk to people, animals or the environment.
APHIS’ National Centers for Animal Health (NCAH) Portal allows real-time communication
and data exchange between APHIS and biologics manufacturers, eliminating the time and costs
of deliveries. By the end of FY 2019, 89 percent of licensed firms were using the NCAH Portal.
The total number of submissions CVB received from the NCAH Portal increased from 35,243
submissions in FY 2018 to 37,886 submissions in FY 2019. Overall, 91 percent of CVB
submissions were received through the NCAH Portal.
In FY 2019, APHIS reviewed/processed 4,612 Certificates of Licensing and Inspection, and
reviewed/processed 1,024 export certificates for veterinary biological products. The significant
increase in the number of certificates processed from FY 2018 demonstrates that companies are
able to produce and export more of their established products, even though new product
pipelines have been slowed by the mergers. The Agency processed all export certificates within
4 days, and all certificates of licensing and inspection within 28 days. Timely processing helps
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ensure that markets are accessible for manufacturers who export their product. APHIS also
helped ensure there were no FAD events related to the importation of more than 50 million
doses of biological products.
In FY 2019, APHIS conducted 54 on-site inspections, 24 percent of which supported a new
establishment/facility or product license for the industry. Licensed veterinary biologics are vital
since manufacturers can use them to make products to diagnose, prevent, or treat animal
diseases, or improve existing biologics. In FY 2019, APHIS also performed 256 regulatory
actions, issued 34 violation notices, and conducted 20 investigations of possible regulation
violations. In addition, the Agency received 306 adverse event reports regarding veterinary
biological products.
Collaborative Efforts
In FY 2019, APHIS provided expertise and training at a joint Institute for International
Cooperation in Animal Biologics education program to educate domestic and international
industry personnel and foreign officials on U.S. regulatory processes. There were 138 registrants
including 38 international attendees from 14 countries. The program promotes U.S. policy as a
regulatory model for both established and developing markets, and it improves worldwide
marketability of USDA-licensed biologics. APHIS also participated in harmonization efforts
with major trading partners including Japan and the European Union through the International
Cooperation on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Veterinary
Medicinal Products. Additionally, CVB participates in the Veterinary International Conference
on Harmonization’s (VICH) Outreach Forum. This forum promotes the use of VICH
harmonized guidelines in countries with developing regulatory systems for veterinary
medicinal products.
9. Veterinary Diagnostics
Laboratory and diagnostic services are essential components of the U.S. animal health
infrastructure. The National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) has laboratories in Ames,
Iowa, and at Plum Island, New York. The NVSL is recognized by the World Organisation for
Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization as an international reference
laboratory for significant animal diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza and foot-
and-mouth disease (FMD). It provides diagnostic test services ranging from a single laboratory
test to comprehensive laboratory services covering many pathogens for suspected outbreaks of
domestic and foreign animal diseases (FADs).
NVSL
In FY 2019, the NVSL managed more than 407,740 diagnostic tests and approximately 45,796
accessions (one or more diagnostic samples received from the same submitter on the same day).
The laboratories produced and filled more than 99,830 reagent order items in FY 2019,
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representing approximately 550 different types of products used in veterinary diagnostic
testing. Many of these products are only available to stakeholders through APHIS. In support of
diagnostic testing and the development of vaccines for use in animal disease prevention, NVSL
produced more than 507,700 milliliters of cell culture material, representing a broad spectrum of
29 cell culture lines. The Agency also validated new test methods and platforms, and provided
training and assistance to domestic and international laboratories.
In FY 2019, NVSL conducted testing on 2,842 diagnostic accessions to support FAD
investigations and also supported international capacity building and collaborative activities in
Australia, Canada, China, Columbia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, United
Kingdom, and Vietnam. In FY 2019, the NVSL’s Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
delivered four FAD training courses to State and Federal participants, including military
veterinarians. In collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, APHIS worked on a
strategy to improve and harmonize available diagnostic methods to enhance North American
African swine fever (ASF) preparedness. In FY 2019, the program received and tested 5,443
classical swine fever (CSF) surveillance samples. Of this total, NVSL tested 217 samples, and
NAHLN laboratories tested 5,226 samples.
APHIS conducts proficiency testing of Federal, State, and university-sponsored laboratories
when these laboratories perform authorized diagnostic testing as part of APHIS-approved
surveillance and/or response programs. In FY 2019, APHIS provided 21 types of proficiency
panels to international, Federal, State, and private laboratories, both within and outside the
NAHLN network. APHIS made the necessary controls and reference strains available for
approximately 200 diseases to help other laboratories develop and validate diagnostic tests.
User fees cover the cost of some reagents and proficiency panels.
NAHLN
The NAHLN serves as a vital early warning system for foreign and emerging animal diseases.
The NVSL trains NAHLN laboratory personnel to ensure proficiency and standardization for
performing diagnostic tests.
In FY 2019, the network laboratories performed approximately 150,630 diagnostic tests to
support APHIS’ animal health surveillance and response programs for NAHLN scope diseases.
This number includes the NAHLN CSF testing numbers from October 1, 2018 through May 31,
2019 as well as ongoing testing for ASF/CSF active surveillance, which began in June 2019. The
NAHLN program staff conduct exercises to prepare participating laboratories for animal
disease outbreak scenarios; this enables the laboratories to remain proficient in animal disease
testing. It also enables them to generate a rapid, local preliminary diagnostic result while
confirmatory testing is performed at the NVSL. In FY 2019, the NAHLN laboratory in California
supported a response to vND in exhibition and commercial birds as well as an outbreak of low
pathogenic avian influenza. In support of ASF preparedness, the NAHLN quadrupled the
number of laboratories approved to use the ASF polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to 47.
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These ASF-approved NAHLN laboratories have the capacity to provide greater than 40,000
PCR tests in 24 hours. As of the end of FY 2019, the NAHLN consisted of 59 State, Federal, and
university veterinary diagnostic laboratories in 42 States. These laboratories work with the
NVSL reference laboratories to test for 14 economically devastating and/or foreign animal
diseases and potential zoonotic diseases such as FMD, influenza in avian and swine species,
bovine spongiform encephalopathy, and CSF.
The NAHLN Coordinating Council continued to maintain electronic messaging as a priority in
the laboratory assessments for FY 2019 designation. A NAHLN laboratory designated as Level
1, 2, or 3 receives infrastructure support from USDA, and also conducts fee-for-service testing
for the USDA. All Level 1 laboratories achieved the ability in FY 2019 to message test results for
all NAHLN-approved testing where a message can be sent. Overall for FY 2019, 52 laboratories
were capable of messaging results for at least one NAHLN scope disease, and APHIS projects
that number will increase to 55 in FY 2020, and 58 in FY 2021. The commitment is to have all
Level 2 laboratories messaging their NAHLN-approved assay results by the end of FY 2020. To
maintain a designation, qualifying laboratories must undergo annual reviews to demonstrate
adherence to NAHLN policies and procedures, and adjust levels accordingly. Based on the level
of infrastructure funding provided to Level 1, 2, and 3 NAHLN laboratories, the laboratories
maintained a high level of required quality standards, increased their capacity for electronic
messaging, and increased the capacity to provide early detection and surge testing by
increasing testing capacity. Specifically for ASF, NAHLN quadrupled the number of
laboratories approved to test for ASF by PCR and increased the number of analysts proficiency
tested to over 170.
National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF)
In FY 2019, APHIS continued to work with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and
USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to plan for the move from the Plum Island Animal
Disease Center (PIADC) in New York to the state-of-the-art NBAF that DHS is building in
Manhattan, Kansas. NBAF will be a key national asset to protect the U.S. animal agriculture
industry and will be the first and only facility in the United States with large animal Biosafety
Level-4 containment capability.
USDA and DHS have been working closely together to plan for the transfer of management and
oversight of NBAF from DHS to USDA when construction and commissioning of the facility is
complete. To accomplish these tasks and still meet current timelines, USDA successfully
recruited key positions in FY 2018 and FY 2019, and will accelerate hiring in FY 2020. In FY
2019, APHIS and ARS continued efforts to develop a workforce of subject matter experts in
foreign, emerging, and zoonotic diseases to conduct diagnostics in preparation for the NBAF
transition. Workforce development is critical given the significant loss of expertise expected
during the transition and the need to transfer the U.S. FAD diagnostic institutional knowledge
to the NBAF. APHIS developed the NBAF Scientist Training Program to meet the workforce
needs for subject matter experts in foreign animal and zoonotic diseases. In FY 2019, it was
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expanded to now include 15 fellows from 10 different universities. APHIS has also developed
an NBAF Laboratorian Training Program to train future NBAF laboratory technicians. In FY
2019, APHIS and ARS began recruitment actions to fill more than 100 key operational positions
in FY 2019 and FY 2020. APHIS filled 43 of these positions in FY 2019, and continues to recruit
for additional key positions needed for the operational stand up, outside of the initial priority
positions identified.
10. Zoonotic Disease Management
“One Health” is a collaborative, multisectoral, and trans-disciplinary approach—working at the
local, regional, national, and global levels—with the goal to achieve optimal health outcomes
while recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared
environment. The Zoonotic Disease Management Program enhances State, national, and
international collaborative efforts to promote healthy animals, people, and ecosystems by
addressing zoonotic diseases (those that pass between animals and people) and other relevant
One Health issues.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World
Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), 60 percent of human pathogens are zoonotic and 75
percent of emerging diseases are zoonotic (including Ebola, Zika, MERS, and SARS). Most
zoonotic diseases originate from animal reservoirs. APHIS leads the national effort to address
the animal health component of the One Health approach. By enhancing APHIS’ efforts to
address the animal health component of One Health, the program protects public health and
improves animal health and marketability.
Zoonotic Disease and One Health Engagement, Investigation, and Response
APHIS works with international, national, State, and industry partners to address zoonotic
diseases. Some examples of zoonotic diseases APHIS addressed in FY 2019 include Salmonella
and variant influenza.
In 2019, APHIS collaborated with CDC and State Departments of Public and Animal Health to
investigate outbreaks of human Salmonella infections linked to contact with live poultry in
backyard flocks, especially mail-order chicks and ducklings. Additionally, APHIS provided
epidemiologic and laboratory support to the CDC outbreak investigations, and distributed
educational and outreach materials directed to the consumer, backyard flock owner, feed stores,
and mail-order hatcheries. APHIS continues to assist this segment of the poultry industry
through a voluntary Salmonella monitoring program and publication of best management
practices to mitigate Salmonella contamination at poultry hatcheries.
Typically, influenza A viruses in swine do not infect humans, but there have been rare reports
of human infections after direct or indirect exposure to pigs. In 2019, CDC received only one
report of human infection. APHIS continues to work with CDC, State public and animal health
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officials, and academia to investigate these detections and provide diagnostic results. APHIS,
CDC, and State laboratories rapidly share diagnostic sequence findings.
Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication
previously used to treat them. APHIS works with its State, Federal, and industry partners to
promote the judicious use of antimicrobials, which supports a strong, healthy, and thriving U.S.
animal agriculture system as well as public health. Additionally, APHIS collaborates with State
Departments of Agriculture, diagnostic laboratories, and public health officials to address AMR
infections in humans found to have an animal component.
In FY 2019, APHIS continued to work with other USDA agencies to develop practical mitigation
strategies to reduce AMR prevalence in human and animal health. These strategies cover a
variety of efforts including AMR surveillance at the farm level, collection of antimicrobial drug
use data, and efforts to promote stewardship of antimicrobial drugs by animal owners and
veterinarians. In FY 2019, APHIS published reports of these two studies which updated
information about antimicrobial use and stewardship. In FY 2019, APHIS collected data on
antimicrobial use and stewardship on goat operations, and sampled for AMR in bacterial
organisms. In FY 2019, APHIS also collaborated with other agencies, including the Food and
Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and the CDC, to publish a
review article for the World Organisation for Animal Health describing the One Health AMR
activities performed in the U.S. within each agency.
In FY 2019, APHIS participated in developing the next National Action Plan for Combating
Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria for 2020-2025. In FY 2019, APHIS, in conjunction with FDA,
completed the second year of a program for collecting antimicrobial susceptibility data from
veterinary diagnostic laboratories. The program was successful in meeting its second-year
objective of expanding the number of labs providing data, expanding the options for reporting
to include a graphic interface for real-time data reporting, and expanding the analysis of the
data to include sequencing of bacterial isolates to better understand the genetic determinants of
resistance.
In FY 2019, APHIS continued to study 17 common Salmonella serotypes across all major animal
groups, which incorporated antimicrobial susceptibility testing. APHIS also worked closely
with the CDC to investigate human outbreaks of drug resistant bacterial organisms stemming
from animal origins. APHIS continues to be involved with the National Antimicrobial
Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), participating in strategic planning for the next five
years at the NARMS Scientific Planning Meeting. In FY 2019, APHIS sponsored the National
Institute for Animal Agriculture’s annual Antibiotics Symposium to promote antimicrobial
stewardship and judicious use and share best practices with producers.
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APHIS participated in several international AMR activities in FY 2019. APHIS provided
expertise on several chapters of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code related to AMR.
Additionally, APHIS and FDA provided input to the OIE ad hoc group developing a global
database on antimicrobial drug use. APHIS participated in a workshop for all OIE countries in
the Americas regarding their database on antimicrobial drug use. APHIS provided input on the
definitions of therapeutic uses of antimicrobial drugs in animals developed by the American
Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Antimicrobials.
Pandemic Disease and One Health Preparedness
In FY 2019, APHIS continued work with Canada and Mexico on the North American Plan for
Animal and Pandemic Influenza, which strengthens trilateral preparedness and response
capabilities for human and animal health in Mexico, Canada, and the United States. APHIS also
provided animal health subject matter expertise at a workshop to develop standard operation
procedures for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreaks, strengthening human and
animal health preparedness and response capabilities in a number of African countries that
participated.
APHIS works to strengthen emergency preparedness and response to zoonotic diseases using a
One Health approach. In FY 2019, APHIS, CDC, and the Department of the Interior established
the One Health Federal Interagency Network which brings together representatives from
Federal agencies and departments on a regular basis to exchange information, updates, and
opportunities for collaboration in support of One Health activities.
In FY 2019, APHIS and Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) met with the CDC to share
information from the animal sector meeting on pre-harvest process improvement, discuss
strategies related to pre-harvest food safety assessments, and organize the next cross-sector
stakeholder meetings for FY 2020. The focus of these workshops is to continue cross sector
discussions on pre-harvest food safety communication, collaboration, and process
improvements. APHIS, FSIS, CDC, and the FDA also participate in monthly Interagency
Foodborne Outbreak Response Collaboration meetings. These meetings improve collaboration
on foodborne outbreaks and reduce pathogen transmission between animals and humans.
Global Health Security
In FY 2019, APHIS provided animal health subject matter expertise for a Global Health Security
Agenda (GHSA) workshop on HPAI held in Africa. Additionally, APHIS represented USDA at
the GHSA Ministerial Meeting in Bali, Indonesia and provided input towards the organization’s
strategic plan.
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Selected Examples of Recent Progress - Plant Health:
1. Agricultural Quarantine Inspection
Through the Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI) program, APHIS and the Department of
Homeland Security's (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) safeguard U.S. agricultural
and natural resources from the introduction of invasive pests and diseases.
Cooperative Program Management
APHIS works with CBP to protect America’s agricultural resources and food supply through
inspecting international passenger baggage, cargo, and conveyances. APHIS and CBP share
management of the program through working groups and close day-to-day collaboration.
APHIS and CBP improved communication at ports of entry through data system integration
improvements, which facilitated the processing of 67,786 diagnostic requests of potential pests
or diseases and 52,000 notifications on incoming cargo that required mitigation to reduce pest
risks or that may not have been allowed entry due to agricultural risks. In FY 2019, APHIS and
CBP continued to implement the Risk Based Sampling cargo inspection program to target
higher risk plant pests potentially entering the country and utilize current inspection resources
more efficiently. The Agencies have planned trials at several maritime and southern border
ports for FY 2020. APHIS also trained 144 new CBP agriculture specialists, conducted basic
agricultural threat training for 1,872 first-line CBP officers, and provided agriculture
fundamentals training for 72 CBP import specialists. In addition, APHIS certified 23
experienced CBP agriculture specialists to deliver the military cooperator inspector training to
the Department of Defense to use in preventing agricultural pests and diseases from returning
to the United States with military equipment and personnel returning from overseas posts in FY
2019. Additionally, APHIS trained 28 canine teams, 18 agriculture field trainers, and 12
agriculture canine team supervisors for CBP.
Pre-Clearance Inspections
One of the most effective ways to facilitate the safe movement of commodities into the United
States is to address pest threats where they originate. In FY 2019, APHIS inspected and
precleared 2.5 billion pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables and 1.15 billion plants before they
were shipped to the United States, resulting in zero pest interceptions detected at the U.S. ports
of entry. This offshore work, which importers fully fund, allows inspected and precleared
perishable products to enter through the U.S. ports of entry without delays. APHIS operates the
commodity preclearance program in 25 countries for 72 different types of commodities.
Additionally, APHIS inspected 1.88 billion pounds of avocado in Mexico as a part of a systems
approach to facilitate safe trade. APHIS has overseen this program since 1997 and the program
accounts for about 90 percent of avocado imports to the United States. There are 57 APHIS-
certified facilities in Mexico. As with the preclearance programs, there were no quarantine pest
interceptions at U.S. ports of entry in avocado shipments from Mexico.
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To help the U.S. military prevent the spread of foreign animal diseases and plant pests, APHIS
worked with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to inspect military equipment, cargo, and
personal goods returning stateside after overseas operations. In FY 2019, APHIS worked with
DOD across 5 geographic regions to inspect 137,816 military passengers, 405,598 shipments of
personal goods (including household goods and vehicles), and 513,157 pieces of cargo prior to
return to the United States after extended overseas tours. APHIS inspected and recertified 108
military preclearance programs in 18 countries in Europe and Africa, ensuring that each
program met safeguarding requirements. APHIS also supported a military exercise in Australia
involving six countries, including the United States. APHIS ensured that 500 pieces of
equipment and 120 military service members aboard 3 U.S. Navy vessels complied with
Australia’s strict biosecurity requirements.
Offshore Risk Reduction
In FY 2019, APHIS inspected and certified 27 offshore facilities in 7 countries to support safe
trade of several agricultural commodities such as Pelargonium (geranium) and Niger seed, a 28
percent increase in the number of facilities from last year. Completed, in partnership with U.S.
industry, a second year pilot of the offshore cuttings greenhouse certification
program. Throughout the last two months of the 2019 six-month pilot, participants consistently
averaged 90 percent compliance, and several facilities repeatedly achieved 100 percent
compliance. These offshore programs allow for the import of desirable products into the United
States while mitigating the pest risks.
Pre-Departure Inspections
APHIS inspected the baggage of more than 13 million passengers before they left Hawaii and
Puerto Rico and intercepted approximately 304,000 prohibited items and 2,000 quarantine-
significant pests in FY 2019. APHIS evaluates the effectiveness of its pre-departure program by
measuring the percentage of passengers destined for the continental United States from Hawaii
and Puerto Rico that comply with agriculture quarantine regulations. In FY 2019, 98 percent of
passengers were in compliance (calculated by determining how many passengers are carrying
prohibited items through random sampling and comparing it to the actual number of
prohibited items intercepted through inspections). To facilitate interstate trade between Hawaii
and Puerto Rico and the continental United States, APHIS conducts commodity certification
and inspection programs. In FY 2019, the program conducted 83,598 inspections of regulated
agricultural commodities shipped from Hawaii and 13,003 inspections of regulated agricultural
commodities shipped from Puerto Rico. In addition, the program oversaw or conducted 2,114
cargo treatments in Hawaii and 3,335 cargo treatments in Puerto Rico. APHIS continues to
conduct methods development activities that expand the treatments available to allow
additional fruits and vegetables to be shipped from these islands to the continental United
States.
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Port-of-Entry Inspections and Pest Interceptions
In FY 2019, more than 200 million passengers and pedestrians entered the United States by air,
bus, ship, train, or on foot. CBP agriculture specialists inspected the baggage of 20 million of
these travelers for agricultural risks through manual inspection, x-ray technology, or detector
dogs. The program also conducted secondary agricultural inspections of 338,943 of the 93
million passenger vehicles entering the United States from Canada and Mexico in FY 2019. In
addition, inspectors cleared 30,227 ships and more than 1.2 million cargo, mail, and express
carrier shipments, intercepting 79,388 pests. Of the travelers inspected, the Agency found
approximately 96.3 percent of international air passengers, 96.5 percent of southern border
vehicles, and 93.8 percent of northern border vehicles to be in compliance with agriculture
quarantine regulations.
Plant Inspection Stations
Importations of nursery stock and other propagative plant materials can serve as significant
pathways for invasive pests and diseases. In FY 2019, inspectors cleared 20,917 imported
shipments containing more than 1.7 billion plant units (cuttings, rooted plants, tissue culture,
etc.) and 382,699 kilograms of seeds of woody plants. Through these inspections, APHIS
employees intercepted 1,119 quarantine significant pests at the plant inspection stations. In
addition, the stations conducted 884 treatment or other action to remediate pests on more than
12.4 billion plant units and 38,384 kilograms of seed.
Plant Germplasm Quarantine
APHIS’ Plant Germplasm Quarantine Program (PGQP) provides quarantine services for
importing plant cultivars and germplasm safely to prevent foreign pathogens from entering our
agricultural production areas and environment. In FY 2019, PGQP released from quarantine 17
bamboo clones, 63 grass clones, 15 kiwis, 23 pome fruits, 66 potato clones, 78 potato true seed
lots, 37 stone fruit clones, 22 sugarcane clones, 4 sweet potatoes, 9 woody ornamental clones, and
73 ornamental seedlings. Fifteen of the 23 pomes, 14 of the 37 stone fruit clones, 7 of the 66 potato
clones, and 17 of the 22 sugarcane clones released this year resulted from therapy performed on
the infected imported plants. New crops imported in FY 2019 included boxwood, euonymus,
leucothoe, mulberry, red bud, spruce, and a juniper bonsai. Quarantine regulations prohibit entry
of these high-risk crops into the United States in commercial quantities, but importers can bring
in small quantities through an APHIS-approved plant quarantine program, like the one at PGQP.
This year, PGQP continued implementing next generation sequencing (NGS) for testing imported
plants for pathogens. With this technology, scientists can sequence a plant’s nucleic acids and
find the pathogens infecting that plant in one operation that is faster and more accurate than
previous technologies. New pathogens were detected by NGS in bamboo, grasses, and pome
fruits. In FY 2019, PGQP sequenced its 400
th
plant for the detection of pathogens. The program is
initiating preliminary experiments using NGS to detect potato, sweet potato, cassava, and stone
fruit viruses.
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Pest Identification
When pests are detected in cargo, the program must identify them to determine if they are
considered quarantine significant under APHIS regulations (i.e., they are exotic and could pose
a significant threat to U.S. plant health, therefore regulated by APHIS as a result) and if the
program can allow the cargo entry into the United States (and what, if any, mitigation measures
would be required). In FY 2019, APHIS’ National Identification Services oversaw the processing
and identification of 129,169 pests, with 69,891 being quarantine significant pests. Also in FY
2019, APHIS completed a three year business process improvement to expedite the issuance of
Identification Authority (IDA) for field personnel, allowing experienced botany and
entomology area identifiers to make final determinations at their local ports. The 934 IDAs
issued in FY 2019, along with associated policy changes, contributed to a 2 percent increase in
cargo pest interceptions that were handled locally compared to FY 2018, amounting to
approximately 3,000 interceptions where decisions could be made locally without involvement
of a National Specialist, thus significantly reducing agriculture related cargo hold times and
associated costs to importers. APHIS and CBP also continued the Cargo Release Authority
(CRA) program to reduce the pests that CBP must submit to APHIS for identification, speeding
up the inspection process for shipments with no quarantine pests. Through the CRA program,
APHIS provides training and job aids that allow CBP agriculture specialists to recognize
frequently intercepted, easily identifiable, low-risk organisms and release the cargo if the
organism is not a quarantine significant pest. APHIS grants CRA after the agriculture inspector
has successfully identified a particular pest a certain number of times and submitted
documentation to APHIS. In FY 2019, a total of 45 CBP Agriculture Specialists earned 371
CRAs. Since the inception of the CRA program, APHIS has provided CRA training to 2,466 CBP
Agriculture Specialists and granted a total of 15,750 CRAs to CBP Agriculture Specialists.
Risk Analysis
APHIS’ Plant Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Laboratory (PERAL) develops pest risk analyses
and epidemiological approaches to pest exclusion. In FY 2019, PERAL completed 305 risk
analyses associated with imports, exports, invasive pest threats, and programmatic
requirements. This total includes 50 analyses to open, expand, or maintain export markets for
U.S. producers and 50 risk assessments for import requests from foreign countries. The
laboratory’s work also included evaluations of 26 newly detected pests by the New Pest
Advisory Group, 11 pathway analyses, 7 economic analyses supporting operational and policy
decisions, and 12 New Pest Response Guidelines for preparedness purposes. In addition,
PERAL completed 70 impact analyses supporting the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey,
and 17 host lists for significant pests.
Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance (SITC)
SITC’s core responsibility is to analyze, identify, and close potential smuggling pathways into
U.S. commerce. SITC, working closely with CBP, uses a multi-pronged approach that focuses on
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traces for non-compliant import materials, coordinating with investigative organizations across
USDA and CBP, and extensive outreach to industry to increase compliance with APHIS’
regulatory requirements. In coordination with CBP, SITC conducted 12 port-of-entry operations
that focused on specific pathways, prohibited commodities, and higher risk countries of origin.
In FY 2019, SITC seized 1,314 prohibited agricultural items in retail commercial locations, 617
items from internet sales, and 1,907 from courier surveys. Those seizures totaled 293,013 pounds
of prohibited and/or restricted plants and plant products and meat and meat products valued at
$3.1 million. Additionally, SITC conducted 30 recalls for various items, including wooden
handicrafts with bark that did not meet treatment and entry requirements, posing a risk for
borers (insects that bore into trees and that could pose risks to U.S. forests). Other recalled items
include birdhouses with rice straw roofs that did not meet treatment and entry requirements,
posing a risk for rice diseases. Total seizures as a result of recalls weighed 136,563 pounds and
were worth an estimated value of $1.7 million.
Phytosanitary Export Certification
APHIS facilitates the export of agricultural shipments by tracking plant health import
requirements for approximately 200 countries and provides certifications to U.S. exporters to help
ensure that U.S. products meet other countries’ requirements. In FY 2019, APHIS collected more
than $38.5 million for certificates and remitted more than $20 million to State and County
cooperators for certificates they issued. Currently, 35 States and 34 counties use this
feature. Additionally, the Agency is continuing its effort with international counterparts to begin
exchanging phytosanitary certificates electronically. APHIS worked with the International Plant
Protection Convention to establish an electronic hub that countries can access to exchange export
certificates with trading partners. The hub provides a central point for document exchange that
eliminates the need for countries to establish electronic connections with each trading partner
individually. Recent studies by industry have shown that paperwork errors slow down exports,
leading to the majority of costly delays. The United States began using the hub in May 2018 and is
actively exchanging certificates with Argentina, Chile, Netherlands, Samoa, Jamaica, Sri Lanka,
Ghana, and New Zealand, with more than 40,000 phytosanitary certificates received and more
than 15,000 sent. APHIS conducted more paperless case studies in conjunction with industry
participants this year with an average cost savings of $70 per shipment in shipping costs and up
to 2 days saved in time. In FY 2019, APHIS, State, and county officials issued more than 678,000
Federal export certificates for agricultural shipments.
2. Cotton Pests
The Cotton Pests program works with growers, the cotton industry, states, and Mexico to
eradicate the boll weevil (BW) and pink bollworm (PBW) from all cotton-producing areas of the
United States and northern Mexico. Collectively, the BW and PBW are the most destructive
pests of cotton worldwide. The Cotton Pests program also maintains preparedness capabilities
to address other cotton pests that could enter the United States.
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To date, APHIS and cooperators have eradicated BW from 99.5 percent of the 13.7 million acres
of U.S. cotton (Acreage. USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. June 2019). The Lower
Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) is the last zone within the United States where the pest persists. The
LRGV is impacted by the neighboring Mexican cotton producing State of Tamaulipas and the
area’s security issues. In FY 2019, APHIS continued to work with partners in overcoming
program challenges. The Agency, along with the Mexican cotton industry and U.S. cotton
industry, are working together to eradicate BW from Tamaulipas. For example, APHIS is in its
fourth year of an agreement with the North American Plant Protection Organization to assist
the Tamaulipas BW Eradication Program by funding treatment expenses.
APHIS continued meeting every six weeks from October to April 2019 with Mexico’s National
Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) to discuss the boll weevil program
in Tamaulipas. SENASICA increased their involvement in the Tamaulipas program in FY 2019
and developed an organized program operational structure to do so. However, due to recent
organizational changes in SENASICA that impacted the Cotton Pests personnel, and to
restrictions on international travel for Mexican government officials, the monthly meetings
between SENASICA and APHIS have been put on hold.
In FY 2019, the program saw a 52 percent decrease in BW captures totaling 40,761 in the LRGV,
compared to 77,410 at the same time in FY 2018. In addition, captures decreased 88 percent in
Tamaulipas with 6,424 BWs captured in FY 2019, compared to 54,316 at the same time in FY
2018.
APHIS will continue to reduce the BW population in the LRGV and partner with the U.S. cotton
industry on BW surveillance efforts for all U.S. cotton production areas in FY 2020. APHIS will
also continue to partner with SENASICA’s Mexican BW eradication program in Tamaulipas to
provide technical assistance and funding for their parallel program to the LRGV program.
APHIS is committed to monitoring BW to ensure the detection any of reintroductions quickly,
and to work toward successful eradication of BW in the United States in the coming years.
On October 19, 2018, APHIS in conjunction with industry partners, officially announced the
successful eradication of PBW from all commercial cotton-producing areas in the continental
United States. In FY 2020, APHIS will continue to survey areas in Florida to ensure that pink
bollworm does not move into the areas surrounding the Everglades.
3. Field Crop & Rangeland Ecosystems Pests
The Field Crop and Rangeland Ecosystem Pests (FCREP) program protects U.S. agricultural
crops and rangelands from the establishment or spread of invasive or economically significant
pests, facilitates safe international trade and domestic commerce, preserves economic
opportunities for U.S. farmers, and fosters healthy ecosystems in rangelands and natural lands.
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Grasshoppers and Mormon crickets
In FY 2019, APHIS conducted surveys in 14 States for Grasshoppers and Mormon crickets
(GMC), collecting data at more than 29,000 survey points. Based on the results of the surveys
and needs of land managers, the program treated approximately 116,530 acres of rangeland,
which protected rangeland forage and wildlife habitat on approximately 230,500 acres. APHIS
conducted three large aerial treatments in Wyoming and two small ground treatments in
Arizona and Montana for grasshoppers and two large aerial treatments in Idaho, one small
aerial treatment in Nevada, and several small ground treatments in Washington and Idaho for
Mormon cricket populations. Before conducting any grasshopper treatments, APHIS confirms
the species of the grasshopper as some do not cause damage to rangeland and others can even
provide ecological benefits by eating weeds (leaving grasses for grazing livestock).
Imported fire ants (IFA)
In FY 2019, the IFA program expanded its use of a rapid identification test kit for red IFA,
“InvictDetect”. This immune-assay uses a type of dip-stick test to provide preliminary
identification of red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) in as little as 5 minutes. While
official confirmation of IFA is still required for regulatory actions, the kit makes it easier to
release shipments with suspect IFA that could be held at agricultural checkpoints for up to 24
hours before an official identification is made. APHIS provided the test kits to State
departments of agriculture in FY 2019 for additional field-testing in support of its efforts to
deploy an enhanced kit that will also identify black imported fire ant and hybrids. In FY 2020,
APHIS will provide the improved kit to cooperators and continue field testing. Additionally,
APHIS updated its interactive IFA quarantine map with features that display the quarantine
boundaries to assist stakeholders in determining if they are located within the IFA quarantine
area. The map allows shippers of regulated articles to determine whether they are subject to IFA
quarantine requirements. In 2019, APHIS provided technical support for IFA issues to States
and industry seeking to safeguard radioactive contaminated soil and its movement out of IFA-
regulated areas into Superfund mediation sites (deep burial in Utah). In FY 2019, the quarantine
area expanded into new counties in Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee. In FY 2020, the
program will coordinate with the Agricultural Research Service and universities to identify
additional promising biological control opportunities.
Karnal bunt
In FY 2019, 22 wheat-producing States participated in the Karnal bunt national survey. The
program tested 466 samples with no positive detections as of October 2019. Based on this
national survey, the program certifies wheat exports free of Karnal bunt, assuring trading
partners about the safety of U.S. wheat exports, retaining export markets, and facilitating wheat
movement into domestic and international markets.
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Witchweed
The program surveyed a total of nearly 55,000 acres in the 2019 growing season for witchweed.
Approximately 1,117 acres were infested at the beginning of the 2019 season, and 142 acres were
newly infested or re-infested during the season. In 2019, APHIS treated 1,830 acres.
Roseau Cane Scale
In FY 2019, APHIS provided funding to Louisiana State University to develop control methods
against the scale insect, evaluate Roseau cane’s defenses against the scale insect, and evaluate
restoration techniques for areas that have experienced Roseau cane die-off. Additionally,
APHIS, in cooperation with the Agricultural Research Service, is investigating natural enemies
of Roseau cane scale in its native range in Asia as potential biological control agents.
Cogongrass
In FY 2019, APHIS provided funds to Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina to support
survey and outreach activities related to cogongrass infestations in these States. Additionally,
APHIS drafted an environmental assessment (EA) in preparation for control treatment activities
to ensure that the program is compliant with the National Environmental Policy Act. APHIS
anticipates publishing the EA for public comment in the Federal Register in early FY 2020. Once
the EA is finalized, pending public comments, APHIS anticipates to provide additional funding
to Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina for cogongrass control activities in FY
2020.
4. Pest Detection
The goal of the Pest Detection Program is to document the presence or absence of plant pests
and diseases of Federal regulatory significance in the United States. This documented
information is the basis of APHIS’ regulatory efforts and pest management programs that
preserve economic opportunities for farmers (i.e., interstate commerce and international trade)
and safeguard U.S. agricultural and natural resources.
In FY 2019, APHIS and cooperators conducted a total of 217 commodity- and taxon-based
surveys in 50 States and 3 territories (APHIS conducted 104 surveys and the States conducted
113 surveys). The program targeted 128 high-risk priority pests of national concern for survey
in corn, oak, pine, small grains, soybean, and nursery crop commodities, as well as exotic wood
boring bark beetles and cyst nematodes, among others, representing 96 percent of the target
pests suggested for survey in the 2019 Pest Surveillance Guidelines. Including pests of State
priority, the program targeted 238 unique pests for survey in FY 2019. Surveys consisted of
multiple pests for efficiency and economy of survey, with an average of 6.5 pests per survey,
24.8 pests per State, and 3-4 surveys per State. Along with surveys conducted through the FY
2019 Farm Bill Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention program, APHIS
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and cooperators added 180 additional taxon and specialty crop commodity surveys resulting in
the targeting of 363 unique pests in the overall pest surveillance effort.
The program’s target for FY 2019 was to detect, through the surveys, 90 percent of the
significant pest introductions before they spread from the area of original colonization and
caused significant economic or environmental damage. The program exceeded the target in that
all (100 percent) new detections were localized at the time of their detection in FY 2019. One of
these pests (Lymantria umbrosa in Washington) was a high-risk pest of national concern
specifically targeted for survey through the two programs. The negative survey results for the
remaining pests demonstrate freedom from these pests in the United States.
Plant Protection Methods Development
The Plant Protection Methods Development (PPMD) program develops scientifically viable and
practical tools for exotic plant pest exclusion, detection, and management. These tools preserve
economic opportunities for farmers and industries who engage in interstate commerce and
international trade, and safeguard U.S. agricultural and natural resources from invasive plant
pests.
The PPMD program advanced new technologies for pest detection and management, including
the use of unmanned aerial systems and detector canines. In FY 2019, the program improved
unmanned aerial systems for use in a number of applications, including detecting signs of Asian
longhorned beetle infestations in trees and releasing sterile insects for pest eradication
programs. The program also began deploying canines to detect Mexican fruit fly, coconut
rhinoceros beetle, and citrus greening to support pest detection in management programs.
Other advances in domestic pest program technology include methods to support the
emergency programs for spotted lanternfly in Pennsylvania and European cherry fruit fly in
New York. APHIS developed improved traps for spotted lanternfly (SLF), and developed
effective insecticide application methods for host trees involved in the eradication program. For
the European cherry fruit fly program, APHIS developed improved traps and new rapid
diagnostics to support survey and management efforts, as well as developed a systems
approach that would allow fruit movement from quarantine areas.
In support of the EAB eradication efforts, new research on EAB biological control agents has
identified species that climatologically adapt to cooler or warmer U.S. regions and surrounded
areas. This discovery allows the program to better target biocontrol releases, while protecting
the next generation of trees in eastern region forests. As a result, EAB biocontrol rearing facility
in Brighton, Michigan, produced four different parasitoid species in FY 2019 and released over
750,000 insects in 28 states, the District of Columbia, and 3 Canadian Provinces. This includes
releases in 67 new counties and 90 new release sites in counties, as well as 2 new states added in
FY 2019.
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The PPMD program also supports research related to invasive honey bee pests, specifically
Varroa mites. A Varroa mite feeds on the honey bee’s fat body tissue (an organ similar to the
human liver) rather than on its blood, in turn weakening and shortening the bee's life. In FY
2019, the program funded priority projects with other Federal and State agencies, as well as the
public, that support managing, suppressing, and eradicating Varroa mites, small hive beetles,
and other pests and diseases contributing to a decline in honey bee health. These projects
included investigating new pesticide control options for Varroa mites, as well as breeding bees
resistant to Varroa mites.
5. Specialty Crop Pests
The goal of the Specialty Crop Pests (SCP) Program is to protect U.S. fruits and vegetables, tree
nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops from adverse impacts associated with invasive pests, such
as crop damage or threats to international trade and interstate commerce.
Grapes
The SCP program targets several devastating pests and diseases, including glassy winged
sharpshooter (GWSS) and the European grapevine moth (EGVM) that could affect grape
production and impact export markets. In FY 2019, APHIS, the California Department of Food
and Agriculture (CDFA), and industry partners completed the final year of a three year post-
eradication surveillance monitoring effort for EGVM in 38 participating counties. APHIS and
cooperators found no infestations. While the three-year post-eradication monitoring is
complete, APHIS and cooperators are evaluating what level of survey to continue for EGVM.
APHIS also continued the successful, cooperative GWSS program designed to suppress
populations of this pest where established in grapes, citrus, and nursery stock. In FY 2019, the
program continued to conduct surveys and other regulatory activities including inspections of
nursery stock and bulk citrus for the pest in 49 California counties, and continued area-wide
suppression activities in affected agricultural production areas of 4 California counties. With
citrus growers’ voluntary suppression treatments, the program covered 21,000 acres. Of the
more than 28,000 shipments of nursery stock from infested areas, State inspectors did not reject
any shipments due to GWSS. Together, the EGVM and GWSS programs directly protected
863,000 acres of grape production worth nearly $6.3 billion in the State of California in 2018
(NASS Noncitrus Fruit and Nuts 2018 Summary).
Citrus
APHIS supports the citrus industry’s continued ability to produce, harvest, process, and ship
citrus fruits and nursery stock despite the presence of diseases such as citrus canker, citrus
greening or Huanglongbing (HLB or citrus greening), and citrus black spot. APHIS and
cooperators in citrus-producing States survey more than 385,000 acres of citrus across the
country, providing timely information about the presence of pests and diseases to growers and
State government partners. This information allows growers to take necessary actions to
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manage their groves and allows APHIS and States to update quarantine boundaries and
regulations to prevent the spread of serious citrus pests and diseases through the movement of
regulated materials. Based on the results of surveys, APHIS adjusted quarantine boundaries in
California, Louisiana, and Texas for HLB, Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), or citrus canker. The areas
quarantined for HLB in California expanded in FY 2019 due to the detection of additional
infected trees in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernadino Counties. The areas
quarantined for HLB in Texas and Louisiana also expanded in FY 2019 due to citrus greening
detections in plant tissue samples. In FY 2019, the areas quarantined for citrus canker in Texas
also expanded to include additional areas. In FY 2019, APHIS and cooperators conducted risk-
based surveys in residential and commercial citrus areas in California to ensure they detect the
disease quickly if it is present. In areas affected by citrus pests and diseases, APHIS’ flexible
regulatory protocols have minimized the impact of the quarantines on growers, who can move
citrus out of quarantined areas to packinghouses if they follow mitigation procedures to
prevent the disease or its insect vector from spreading. Nearly 10,000 businesses moved
regulated host materials such as citrus fruit and nursery stock under compliance agreements
with APHIS in FY 2019.
APHIS and cooperators continued extensive surveys that establish citrus black spot free
production units and low prevalence areas for citrus canker in Florida for export packing to the
European Union. The European Union updated its import requirements for citrus imports
during FY 2019, and APHIS worked with growers to ensure that U.S. shipments meet the new
requirements. APHIS also continued to support area-wide management of the ACP in Florida
by providing survey data every three weeks to the growers participating in Citrus Health
Management Areas (CHMAs). Citrus growers participating in CHMAs, which the Florida
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services manages, coordinate the applications of
pesticides to suppress ACP populations in commercial citrus groves. Citrus production in
Florida for the 2018-2019 season increased 55 percent over the previous season (NASS 2018-2019
Citrus Summary), which was impacted by severe hurricanes. APHIS continued working closely
with citrus nurseries that suffered hurricane damage and conducted surveys for citrus black
spot to detect any hurricane-assisted spread of this disease (need results).
In FY 2019, APHIS continued a biological control program targeting ACP. This program, which
employs a predatory wasp against ACP, augments current management methods, especially in
residential areas in Arizona, California, Louisiana, and Texas, where use of chemical pesticides
is undesirable. Biological control efforts in Texas have reduced the ACP population by more
than 90 percent and by as much as 99 percent around California release sites. Projects funded by
the HLB Multi-Agency Coordination Group produce and release 12 million biological control
agents annually to help reduce ACP populations in residential and urban areas. APHIS also
releases biological control agents in areas of Mexico (Baja California and Tamaulipas) adjacent
to citrus production areas in California and Texas to suppress ACP populations and prevent
them from spreading into the United States. APHIS works with citrus nurseries across the
United States to ensure that nursery stock produced in areas quarantined for citrus diseases is
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free from the pests ensuring that clean plants are moving between the states and available for
citrus producers and residential use.
Tree Fruit and Nursery Stock
APHIS protects a wide variety of specialty crops (especially tree fruit and citrus) through exotic
fruit fly exclusion and detection activities. One of the Agency’s key strategies is maintaining a
barrier against the spread of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) northward from Central
America. Medfly is one of the most destructive agricultural pests in the world, attacking more
than 300 cultivated and wild fruits and vegetables. APHIS and cooperators produced an
average of 1.16 billion sterile Medflies per week in FY 2019, to maintain the barrier in Mexico,
Guatemala, and Belize, and to release in high-risk areas of California and Florida on a
preventive basis. In FY 2019, the international cooperative program experienced a record
number of Medfly outbreaks in the program-designated free areas of Mexico and
Guatemala. The number of detections were considerably higher than the target of no more than
50 detections, with detections increasing from 159 in FY 2018 to more than 40,000 in FY 2019.
Most captures occurred in Mexico due to outbreaks in Colima and Chiapas, accounting for
more than 35,000 of the reported captures. In response, APHIS and its counterparts in Mexico
increased control and surveillance activities in areas of Mexico with high detections and in
neighboring areas of northwest Guatemala. The program maintained the Medfly-free area in
Mexico and Guatemala, and Belize at 147,247 square kilometers with these additional activities.
In FY 2019, the program responded to 11 new fruit fly outbreaks (ten Mexfly outbreaks in Texas
and one Mexfly outbreak in California) and completed eradication for six of these outbreaks
during the fiscal year. The remaining outbreaks are in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas,
which APHIS continues to address. APHIS produced and released an average of 162 million
sterile Mexflies per week in Texas and northern Mexico in FY 2019, to support eradication and
control programs in that region. APHIS also used the sterile Mexflies to eradicate the one
Mexfly outbreak in California. During the year, APHIS and cooperators managed Mexfly
quarantines covering 1,400 square miles in Texas and California. As the program completed
operations, they released many of these areas from quarantine. At the end of FY 2019, 267
square miles remain under quarantine (related to Mexfly in Texas).
APHIS continued to address the European cherry fruit fly (ECFF) in New York during FY 2019.
In part because of the ECFF’s relatively long life cycle and the abundance of ECFF’s primary
host, the honeysuckle plant, throughout New York APHIS has shifted from the goal of
eradication to management and is continuing to evaluate the best methods for controlling the
species and reducing the risk that it will spread to other cherry-producing areas. The ECFF
quarantine includes 1,612 square miles in northwestern New York. Cherry producers are able to
mitigate damage it might cause to crops through current management practices.
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In FY 2019, 16 Caribbean countries participated in this effort with active trapping and
surveillance programs, with the addition of the Bahamas in FY 2019. The Bahamas is an
important tourist destination presenting a proximity risk to the United States.
APHIS and cooperators also work to address plum pox virus (PPV), the light brown apple moth
(LBAM), and SLF to protect producers of tree fruit and other specialty crops. PPV is one of the
most devastating viral diseases of stone fruit in the world. On October 17, 2019, USDA declared
the United States free of this disease. PPV was first detected in Pennsylvania in 1999 and then
found in Michigan and New York in 2006. The eradication program was a cooperative effort
among APHIS and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, departments of agriculture in
impacted States, the Tuscarora Nation, industry, academia, growers, and homeowners. APHIS
is continuing to conduct post-eradication surveys in the Hudson Valley, Adirondack, and
Niagara regions of New York for two more years. APHIS also continues to support yearly PPV
detection surveys through Plant Protection Act Section 7721 to ensure that any PPV would be
found if it appeared in other States.
In FY 2019, APHIS and the State of California continued to monitor for LBAM across California
and found that the pest had not spread to any new counties. The quarantined area continues to
include 22 counties in California.
In FY 2019, APHIS and cooperators in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and
Virginia continued addressing SLF. APHIS and cooperators assessed more than 64,000
properties covering 125,865 acres in FY 2019, for presence of SLF’s preferred host (an invasive
plant, the tree of heaven) and treated approximately 690,000 trees. The program is continuing
to evaluate treatment strategies and implement new approaches, such as treating areas along
rail lines, targeting SLF’s preferred host tree, the invasive tree of heaven.
APHIS protects natural resources and nursery stock production and trade by limiting the
spread of Phytopthora ramorum (P. ramorum), which causes sudden oak death, from
quarantine areas and affected nurseries through regulatory strategies and adoption of
mitigations and changes to cultural practices. APHIS and State efforts have kept the disease
from impacting natural resources, outside of 15 counties in California and a small area in Curry
County, Oregon, for more than 10 years. Over the last several years, APHIS has streamlined the
P. ramorum regulatory framework for nurseries shipping host nursery stock interstate through
an update to the regulations that relieved regulatory requirements on 2,800 low-risk nurseries.
Currently, 17 nurseries are participating in the program. Along with the streamlined regulatory
program, APHIS and State cooperators have targeted inspection efforts toward the highest risk
nurseries.
Potatoes
APHIS addresses two major potato pests, the pale cyst nematode (PCN) in Idaho and the
golden nematode (GN) in New York. APHIS and cooperators have confined each to a relatively
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small area, and continued survey and regulatory efforts to protect export markets for U.S.
potatoes from 36 States. In Idaho in FY 2019, APHIS collected 16,958 soil samples and processed
9,094 soil samples for the PCN eradication effort. PCN has not been detected outside of Idaho,
and fumigations of infested fields in Idaho have reduced PCN populations by 99 percent since
the pest was first detected in 2006. Based on survey results in FY 2019, APHIS released 759 acres
of fields from regulation and added 327 acres to the regulated area. This brings the total number
of PCN-infested fields to 29 and infested area to 3,277 acres. The PCN program regulates a total
of 7,544 acres. In FY 2019, the program conducted eradication treatments on five infested fields
with a total of 655 acres. In the treated fields that no longer show PCN viability according to a
greenhouse bioassay test, producers can plant potatoes with continued monitoring by APHIS
and cooperators to ensure PCN is not present. Four fields were planted with potatoes in FY
2019, and samples will be collected from each field following harvest and analyzed for the
presence of viable PCN, with results expected in early FY 2020. The program is also continuing
to develop new mitigation tools for PCN that may serve as alternatives to methyl bromide
fumigations or provide additional control following fumigation. These include the use of trap
crops (planting a crop similar to potatoes that will stimulate nematodes to hatch but not allow
them to reproduce) and fungus and biological control agents as control tools. APHIS and
cooperators planted the trap crop on 71 acres in FY 2018, and will have treatment results in FY
2020.
In FY 2019, APHIS and New York cooperators continued an effective survey and regulatory
program targeting GN with a focus on deregulation of all eligible land. As of October 2019,
approximately 1,000 soil samples for the GN program in New York and 1,400 samples from
neighboring states for potato cyst nematodes have been submitted to the APHIS laboratory for
testing. Due to wet soil conditions the sampling season is later than usual. The program
continued conducting regulatory treatments to ensure that equipment moving out of the
affected area does not pose a risk for spreading the GN, with the 500 treatments conducted in
FY 2019. In FY 2019, eight potato production fields continue to undergo eradication activities
for GN. The fields remain regulated, some because of proximity to infested fields, but benefit
from relaxed sanitation requirements and enhanced crop options. APHIS has cooperated with
USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, the New York State Department of Agriculture, and
Cornell University to develop GN-resistant potato varieties for several decades. The program is
transitioning to a newly renovated laboratory on the Cornell University campus to continue this
and other work on methods of eradicating GN. The program has developed a total of 45 GN-
resistant varieties. Because the pest can overcome resistant potato varieties over time, continued
development of new GN-resistant varieties is necessary.
Together, these efforts to address PCN and GN protected 315,000 acres of potatoes in Idaho
valued at $1 billion and 14,300 acres in New York valued at $45 million in FY 2019.
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6. Tree & Wood Pests
The Tree and Wood Pests (TWP) program protects forests, private working lands, and natural
resources from the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), emerald ash borer (EAB), gypsy moths, and
most recently shot hole borers (SHB).
Asian longhorned beetle
In FY 2019, the program completed the final cycle of survey work for Asian longhorned
beetle in Queens and Brooklyn, New York. This completed survey officially marked the end
of a 23-year long battle with APHIS and this pest in New York City. This final survey cycle
allowed the program to declare full eradication and issue a Federal Order, on September 12,
2019, rescinding the established ALB quarantine of 58 square miles in Brooklyn and Queens.
This reduces the total regulated areas in New York State to 53-square miles in Nassau and
Suffolk counties on Long Island. APHIS, along with State and local officials held a ceremony
marking the event in Brooklyn on October 10, 2019.
In FY 2019, the program began a long term study investigating the use of targeted seasonal
insecticide treatments in Ohio. This analysis will continue into FY 2020, and be used to guide
decision making regarding the cost-benefit ratio for treating select trees versus removing
infected trees. In addition, APHIS continued investigating the use of unmanned aerial
systems (UASs) equipped with digital cameras as an additional survey tool in FY 2019. If
successful, the Agency could use UASs to examine trees too risky to climb or in otherwise
difficult to access areas, improving safety for program personnel and lowering the cost to
survey these types of trees.
Emerald ash borer
In FY 2019, APHIS did not detect emerald ash borer (EAB) in any new States, but confirmed
detections in new counties of 13 States with previous infestations. Maine implemented a partial
State quarantine, and Minnesota expanded their State quarantine area. The program continued
to use a risk-based model to determine the best places for States to focus survey and trapping
efforts along a 100 mile leading edge of the quarantine. APHIS, along with Federal, State, and
local agencies and stakeholder groups, continues to mitigate the human-assisted and natural
spread of the pest and is continuing development of a biological control initiative designed to
effectively manage EAB populations.
In FY 2019, the Brighton, Michigan EAB parasitoid rearing facility produced more than 750,000
parasitic wasps for release in 28 States, as well as 3 Canadian Provinces. To date, the parasitic
wasps have been released in 301 counties, with 67 new counties added in 2019. APHIS and
cooperators also assessed the impacts of the parasitic wasps on EAB populations and tree
health at and near release sites. They have recovered the parasitic wasps in 17 States,
demonstrating that the biological control agents are reproducing and becoming established in
the areas released.
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In FY 2019, the Federally contracted trapping survey for EAB ceased in order to focus
resources on biocontrol and outreach efforts. APHIS is continuing to provide traps and lures to
States and Tribal cooperators that conduct EAB surveys without cost, as well as providing
training for EAB biocontrol release and recapture efforts. In FY 2019, APHIS provided a total of
3,000 EAB traps to cooperators in 12 States for EAB survey, and held hands-on and virtual
training workshops for EAB personnel. APHIS expanded the Federal regulated area in
portions of Alabama, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Maine in August 2019. Based on State survey
results, the program expanded the quarantine area to include more than 1,100 counties,
encompassing nearly 880,000 square miles. In FY 2019, APHIS maintained more than 1,000
compliance agreements with businesses that handle EAB host materials. With these
agreements, the program regulates the treatment and movement of host materials from
quarantined areas.
Gypsy Moths
European Gypsy Moth (EGM) is a destructive pest for some of North America’s most beautiful
and popular deciduous trees, including maples, oaks, and elms. This pest is established in all
or parts of 20 northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and Midwestern States, as well as the District of
Columbia. In FY 2019, APHIS and State cooperators continued to conduct EGM surveys to
detect, delimit, and eradicate any isolated populations.
To gain more cooperation from the National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) of the
countries where AGM is present, as well as the certifying agencies in each country, APHIS
coordinated joint U.S./Canada technical trilateral meetings with Russia, Japan, Korea, and
China in FY 2019. APHIS also is working with NPPOs of countries such as Chile and New
Zealand that regulate AGM to harmonize the programs in an effort to send a unified message
to the stakeholder, specifically the maritime shipping industry. As a result, the rate of
compliance to the AGM requirement of vessels calling on U.S. ports after visiting Asian ports
during the risk period, to present a valid certificate of inspections for AGM is at an all-time
high, exceeding 92 percent.
In 2019, APHIS and State cooperators performed eradication treatments for Asian and
European gypsy moths at two locations in Washington and a single location in Oregon.
Shot Hole Borers
In recent years the polyphagous (PSHB) and Kuroshio shot hole borers (KSHB) and diseases
they cause have been devastating riparian habitats in southern California and urban areas in
other parts of California. Additionally, the pathogen Ceratocystis, which is vectored by a non-
native shot hole borer (ambrosia beetle), causes rapid Ohi’a death (ROD). The host, ˋōhiˋa lehua
(Metrosideros polymorpha), is the most common native tree in Hawaii and has considerable
cultural, biological, ecological, and economic significance. In FY 2019, the APHIS-supported
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survey for ROD concluded, allowing personnel to make informed decisions for addressing and
mitigating the damage caused by the disease.
In FY 2019, APHIS also conducted a study focusing on the use of steam and vacuum as a
regulatory treatment for wood infested with shot hole borers. This study provided affected
industry members an option for the safe movement of timber products out of areas known to
harbor infestations.
Selected Examples of Recent Progress – Wildlife Services:
1. Wildlife Damage Management
APHIS provides Federal leadership and expertise to resolve wildlife conflicts. Specifically,
APHIS works to protect agriculture, human health and safety, property, and natural resources
from disease and damage caused by wildlife. Cooperator participation and support is critical to
the success of the Wildlife Damage Management (WDM) Program. APHIS' wildlife biologists
coordinate activities in every State with Federal and State agencies, Tribes, local governments,
private homeowners, farmers, ranchers, and other property owners to protect lands.
Agriculture
Feral swine are a harmful and destructive invasive species whose geographic range is rapidly
expanding and populations are increasing across the nation. These invasive animals cause
significant damage to property, agricultural animal health and crops, natural resources, public
health and native ecosystems. The University of Georgia, using a broader data set than
previously available, has more recently estimated feral swine damage nationwide to cost at least
$2 to $2.5 billion annually, exceeding previous estimates of $1.5 billion annually based on a
more limited data set.
In FY 2019, APHIS conducted cooperative, cost-share operational feral swine programs on
approximately 191 million acres in 37 States and 3 Territories, directly protecting 106 threatened
and endangered species and habitats. APHIS considers feral swine eliminated from a State after
the State is able to complete two years of detection status with no additional sightings. Over the
past 5 years of the program, APHIS and partners successfully eliminated feral swine from four
States, and have moved six States to detection status. In collaboration with our partners, APHIS
conducted disease surveillance and monitoring, and assessed disease risk, to protect the health
of domestic swine, other livestock, and people by collecting 8,000 samples from feral swine
during FY 2019. The Agency, along with university partners, is working to develop a feral
swine toxicant. Other activities include conducting several economic analyses to better assess
feral swine damage to agriculture, livestock, and limited resource farmers; collecting and
analyzing environmental DNA to detect feral swine presence through genetic markers in water;
and maintaining a National Feral Swine Genetic Archive to assess the movement of feral swine
and determine source populations.
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APHIS prevents and reduces livestock predation through technical assistance (education and
outreach) to producers, and operational management programs. In FY 2019, APHIS provided
assistance to more than 12,625 livestock producers to prevent and reduce livestock losses from
predators.
In FY 2019, livestock producers reported 2,186 animals killed by wolves. APHIS responded by
providing a combination of direct control and technical assistance for wolf depredation to 6,437
reports. To avoid or reduce predation, APHIS provides technical assistance to producers on
preventative measures to supplement direct control activities, which producers then implement
themselves. In FY 2019, APHIS conducted 76 predator management workshops attended by
5,218 individuals in 21 States and Puerto Rico. APHIS estimates that these efforts help protect
more than 15.8 million head of cattle, sheep, and goats valued at more than $2.5 billion (based
on an internal APHIS estimate).
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, enforced by the FWS, protects black vultures, which prey on
livestock. Under the Migratory Treaty Bird Act, the public cannot kill, destroy, or remove
migratory birds, their nests, or their eggs without a Migratory Bird Depredation Permit from
FWS. APHIS works collaboratively with FWS recommending short and long-term options to
provide producers with relief from damage. With cooperator funding, APHIS conducted direct
control in 13 States in FY 2019, removing approximately 10,850 black vultures and dispersing
approximately 58,626 black vultures, in addition to providing technical assistance to guide
private management efforts.
APHIS provides operational and technical assistance to aquaculture producers to prevent losses
from fish-eating birds, specifically on roost management of double-crested cormorant,
harassment of fish-eating birds on catfish facilities, and helping farmers acquire depredation
permits under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Work is concentrated at lower Mississippi valley
and southeastern aquaculture facilities in the fall and winter. During this timeframe in FY 2019,
APHIS removed 1,298 and dispersed 146,478 double-crested cormorants from 38 roosts at 185
aquaculture facilities in 3 States.
The National Wildlife Disease Program (NWDP) provided technical assistance, and conducted
surveillance and management for more than 30 wildlife diseases, pathogens, and syndromes.
On a national level, the program sampled for avian influenza, feral swine diseases, and plague
& tularemia. The NWDP also provided assistance on Lyme disease (2 States), avian botulism (2
States), Toxoplasmosis (2 States), rabies (7 States), chronic wasting disease (8 States) tick
surveillance (10 States) as well as canine heartworm, canine distemper, Norovirus, and porcine
endogenous retrovirus. The Program assisted with APHIS virulent Newcastle disease response,
deploying 31 personnel on 77 deployments to the incident in Southern California. Wildlife
Services deployed 22 personnel to provide aerial surveillance and Command support to assist
with the response and recovery of flooding in Nebraska, and deployed 11 personnel to respond
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to wildfires in California. Collectively, the Wildlife Services NWDP coordinated 1,878
deployment days either on site or virtually for 8 different responses during fiscal year 2019.
Human Health and Safety
Rabies is one of the oldest known viral diseases, yet it remains a significant wildlife-
management and public-health challenge. APHIS is the lead Federal agency to prevent the
further spread of wildlife rabies, with the goal of eliminating rabies in carnivores in the United
States using oral rabies vaccination (ORV). In FY 2019, APHIS and cooperators distributed
nearly 10 million ORV baits, including 9 million in the eastern United States, to combat raccoon
rabies in 17 States and more than 1 million in Texas to prevent the reemergence of rabies in
coyotes and gray foxes along the border with Mexico.
APHIS works with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Wistar Institute, an
infectious disease and vaccine research institute, to streamline the use of a rapid rabies
diagnostic field procedure to diagnose the disease within an hour. In FY 2019, APHIS collected
more than 4,600 raccoon blood and 3,700 tooth samples in 14 States to estimate rabies antibody
levels and bait uptake in target species in or near ORV zones. An improved vaccine-bait
combination holds promise for enhanced raccoon rabies control in the United States.
Increased air traffic, faster and quieter aircraft, increased populations of federally protected
species of birds, and increased populations of other wildlife all impact the safety of aircrafts,
particularly in rural communities. In FY 2019, APHIS mitigated wildlife hazards by assisted
nearly 870 civil and military airports worldwide which included 135 Department of Defense
airports in domestic and international settings. Of those airports, APHIS biologists estimated
that technical or direct management assistance resulted in a reduction, suppression or
prevention of wildlife hazards at approximately 67 percent of those airports.
Property
To address and prevent costly beaver damage, APHIS provides assistance by removing beaver
dams that clog waterways and flood roads and timber sources. Every dollar invested in beaver
damage management protects approximately $45 in natural resources on average. With
cooperator funding, APHIS conducted beaver damage management activities in 43 States in FY
2019.
Natural Resources
APHIS focuses on eliminating damage from brown tree snakes (BTS), nutria, and other invasive
species. In Guam, BTS have eliminated most species of native birds, lizards, and bats, and
continue to cause power outages leading to economic losses and public safety problems. In FY
2019, APHIS continued the multi-agency partnership to prevent BTS movement from Guam to
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other Pacific Islands, Hawaii, and the continental United States. It is through this partnership
that the Agency intercepted 18,470 BTS in Guam during FY 2019.
Nutria damage wetlands, agricultural crops, and structural foundations such as dikes and
roads. APHIS is leading the first large-scale North American effort to eradicate a mainland
nutria population in the Chesapeake Bay through agreements with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service and other cooperators. In FY 2019, APHIS monitored approximately 245,200 acres in 4
watershed areas. As a result of these efforts, marsh grasses and native muskrat populations are
quickly recovering.
APHIS partners with various Federal and State resource agencies, private organizations, and
community groups to conduct damage management that benefit protected bird species by
preventing predation from other birds and mammals to nests, eggs, and juveniles. In FY 2019,
APHIS conducted more than 489 conservation actions that benefitted protected species in 40
States, Guam, Virgin Islands, and Cuba (Guantanamo Bay).
2. Wildlife Services Methods Development
The Wildlife Services Methods Development (WSMD) Program develops effective and socially
responsible methods and information to manage conflicts between people and wildlife to
protect agriculture, natural resources, and human health and safety. APHIS’ National Wildlife
Research Center (NWRC) provides the only dedicated Federal leadership in developing
methods to manage wildlife-related damage problems. In FY 2019, the National Wildlife
Research Center initiated 86 new studies and published 133 scientific papers, book chapters and
technical reports in 85 professional scientific journals. Scientists also made 216 presentations to
scientific and stakeholder audiences.
Agriculture
In FY 2019, NWRC found that after 4 years of activities, the probability of feral swine invading a
new county decreased by 8 percent overall and by 15 percent in States with low-density feral
swine populations. If feral swine had continued to expand their range at pre-program levels, the
models predicted they would have invaded 122 more counties in 11 States. Additionally, in FY
2019, NWRC determined the impacts of feral swine on livestock producers were greatest on
cattle and pig producers, as compared to sheep and goat producers. Specifically, across a 13-
State region, the estimated annual damages to cattle production were approximately $40 million
alone.
The Agency is moving to have a completed toxicant and delivery system available for use in
2023. This system is a critical component to reduce feral swine populations and the damage they
cause in the long term. The Agency continues to make refinements to the bait formulation. In FY
2019, NWRC, with approval from the Environmental Protection Agency, conducted a field trail
focused on reducing risks to non-target (i.e. non-feral swine) species. Results demonstrated
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good efficacy in feral swine and also reduced bird mortality. An additional field trial in Texas is
planned in early 2020.
Red-winged blackbirds are an important economic pest to sunflower growers in the Prairie
Pothole region of North Dakota, where they cause extensive crop damage and lower yields at
harvest. In FY 2019, NWRC conducted studies to determine how the birds interact with their
surroundings and identify food sources. Results showed that blackbirds have a relatively wide
field of vision and are able to gather information about foraging opportunities and potential
risks while their heads are down in a foraging posture. I
In FY 2019, research showed that resident and migratory populations of double crested-
cormorants are managed for different and conflicting goals; where resident birds are managed
for conservation and migratory birds are managed for damage management goals. A model
was developed for phenotype and habitat preferences of the two groups which may aid in the
different targeted management objectives, while complying with their protected status under
the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Natural Resources
Some wildlife species, including coyotes, readily adapt to changing landscapes and urban
environments. To help understand how coyotes have adapted to living in cities, NWRC
compared two ecologically and evolutionarily important behavioral traits: bold-shy and
exploration-avoidance behaviors. Boldness relates to an animal’s reaction to a risky situation,
whereas exploration relates to an animal’s willingness to explore novel objects or situations.
Results showed that urban coyotes are bolder and more exploratory than rural coyotes and that
within urban and rural coyote populations there are individuals that vary across both
spectrums.
Human Health and Safety
Wildlife-aircraft collisions (wildlife strikes) with civil and military aircraft pose important risks
and economic losses. NWRC develops risk and management models for the Federal Aviation
Administration, as well as develops methods of mitigation. In FY 2019, a data-based model was
generated that identified bird attributes that correlated with airstrikes. Species with low wing-
loading were more likely to be struck by aircraft (these tend to be small, highly maneuverable
species that cause less damage). Birds were more likely to be hit by jets over propeller aircraft,
and strikes were less likely if the aircraft approached the bird head on as opposed to from the
side. Also in FY 2019, wildlife hazard scores for risk of airstrikes were developed for military
aircraft. The most hazardous species for military aircraft were snow geese, Canada geese,
common loon, and black vulture.
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Partnerships and Technology Transfer
Most NWRC technology development activity and partnerships involve partnerships with
universities and small businesses. Technologies pursued include development of devices, baits,
formulations and vaccines. In FY 2019, NWRC furthered its partnership efforts to make sure its
research and development activity had a path for commercial development and operational
management with the following new activity: 8 Confidentiality Agreements, 9 Material
Transfer Agreements, 13 Material Transfer Research Agreements, 1 Memorandum of
Understanding, 3 Cooperative Research and Development Agreements, 6 Invention
Disclosures, 4 Provisional Patent Applications, 1 Non-provisional patent application and 1
patent issued.
NWRC collaborates on average with 140 unique entities each year. Since 2013, these
collaborations have led to nearly 400 intellectual property agreements, including 27 Cooperative
Research and Development Agreements, Examples of recently patented and licensed NWRC
technologies include a wildlife contraceptive, bird repellents, and an automated bait delivery
system to manage invasive brown treesnake populations on Guam. In FY 2019, the automated
bait delivery system to manage brown treesnakes was successfully transferred from a Research
and Development status to an operational status and is now being operationally used.
Selected Examples of Recent Progress – Regulatory Enforcement:
1. Animal and Plant Health Regulatory Enforcement
Animal and Plant Health Regulatory Enforcement (APHRE) provides investigative,
enforcement, and regulatory support services to the Agency’s four regulatory programs and
Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI) activities carried out through the Department of
Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection.
In FY 2019, APHRE initiated 1,359 new cases, issued 218 official warnings, issued 339 pre-
litigation settlements resulting in the collection of $714,665 in stipulated penalties, and obtained
administrative orders assessing $308,660 in civil penalties.
To support animal health, APHRE initiated 156 cases, issued 52 official warnings, issued 40 pre-
litigation settlements resulting in the collection of $67,203 in stipulated penalties, and obtained
administrative orders assessing $15,260 in civil penalties against persons for violations of laws
aimed at protecting animal health and American agriculture.
To support plant health, APHRE initiated 62 cases, issued 19 official warnings, and negotiated
13 pre-litigation settlement agreements resulting in the collection of $68,125 in stipulated
penalties.
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To support AQI activities, APHRE initiated 1,121 cases, issued 145 official warnings, and issued
282 pre-litigation settlement agreements resulting in the collection of $562,337 in stipulated
penalties.
To support animal welfare, APHRE initiated 17 cases for alleged violations of the Animal
Welfare Act (AWA), issued 2 official warnings, issued 4 pre-litigation settlements resulting in
the collection of $17,000 in stipulated penalties, and obtained 10 administrative orders,
assessing $147,300 in civil penalties. Copies of enforcement records (such as initial decision and
orders, default decisions, and consent decisions) are available on the USDA’s Office of
Administrative Law Judge’s website: https://oalj.oha.usda.gov/.
To support horse protection, APHRE initiated two cases and, working with the OGC, obtained
85 administrative orders assessing $71,100 in civil penalties, and disqualifying 66 persons for a
total of 78.5 years from participating in activities regulated under the Horse Protection Act.
To support biotechnology, APHRE initiated one case relating to the possible detection of
genetically engineered (GE) wheat in Washington State. The case was initiated as part of an
internal collaborative effort with the Agency’s Biotechnology Regulatory Services program to
further the protection and safeguarding of plant health throughout the United States. The
investigation found that there was no evidence that any GE wheat had entered commerce or the
food supply. APHIS strengthened its oversight of regulated GE wheat field trials by requiring
developers to apply for a permit for field trials beginning with GE wheat planted on or after
January 1, 2016.
2. Biotechnology Regulatory Services
Authorizations
In FY 2019, APHIS authorized nearly 1,500 permits and notifications in 51 States (plus Puerto
Rico) for 130 different species of organisms.
Risk Assessment and Petitions
In FY 2019, APHIS reviewed and deregulated 3 petitions for GE cotton, GE canola, and GE
soybean, bringing the cumulative total of APHIS deregulations to 132. In recent years, APHIS
continues to provide the public with opportunities to review and comment on both the petition
request and scientific assessments of the GE organisms in the Federal Register.
Since 2011, APHIS’ “Am I Regulated?” (AIR) process allows potentially regulated entities to ask
the Agency if an organism is a regulated article by providing specific information including
scientific data, the technology used, and other information about the GE organism. In FY 2019,
APHIS responded to 12 AIR inquiries; since inception, the Agency has responded to more than
80 inquiries thus, facilitating movement of new products to farmers’ fields.
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Compliance and Inspections
APHIS ensures developers, growers, and other individuals, organizations and universities take
the important steps to prevent unauthorized releases of regulated GE organisms. In FY 2019,
APHIS and the States (authorized by APHIS) conducted more than 600 site inspections, 43 of
which were unannounced, and 53 were virtual. The virtual inspection process, launched in FY
2018, enhanced effectiveness of oversight while leveraging technology through virtual
monitoring and evaluations of field trials.
Following recommendations from the USDA’s Office of Inspector General’s office, APHIS has
taken steps in recent years to strengthen its oversight of regulated GE field trials. In FY
2019, APHIS continued to develop and implement an improved risk-based inspection selection
process and enhanced compliance oversight of regulated GE field trials. As part of this effort,
the Agency utilized technology to develop and transition digital mapping capabilities, enhance
effectiveness of oversight while utilizing technology through its virtual monitoring and
evaluations of field trials. These virtual inspections focused on the review of post-harvest
recordkeeping and oversight practices as well as field trials with compliance issues. APHIS also
updated certain standard reporting and recordkeeping requirements for GE field trials
authorized under permits, increasing consistency and improving clarity of requirements for
regulated entities and increasing enforceability of requirements for the Agency.
Partnerships
APHIS continued to work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) to balance regulatory oversight of GE organisms in support of a
White House Executive Order on Modernizing the Regulatory Framework for Agricultural
Biotechnology Products. In particular, APHIS worked with EPA and FDA to develop a
Memorandum of Understanding governing the development of a Unified Biotechnology web-
based platform that will provide a single point of entry for the regulated community and the
public to obtain and access information on the Coordinated Framework and the U.S.
biotechnology regulatory system. This includes a mechanism for developers to submit
questions to regulators and obtain a single coordinated response from the agencies.
APHIS is engaged in capacity building efforts for foreign regulatory officials and scientific
advisors by hosting visitors at APHIS headquarters and by serving as resource persons in
biotech regulation training In FY 2019, APHIS organized sessions with FDA and EPA
counterparts to present information to over 100 visitors, representing 12 countries.
Regulatory Changes
APHIS is working to update the Agency’s biotechnology regulations to better ensure that
regulatory oversight is commensurate with plant pest risks. APHIS published the proposed
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rule, in June 2019, after conducting extensive stakeholder outreach in FY 2018, to engage in an
open and robust policy dialog to more effectively address the issues raised in public comments
submitted on the previously proposed rule. The Agency is currently analyzing and preparing a
response to over 6,150 comments before issuing a final draft rule.
Selected Examples of Recent Progress – Emergency Management:
1. Emergency Preparedness & Response
The Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) program improves APHIS’ capability to
prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from animal health emergencies. This program’s
goal is to respond to an animal health event within 24 hours from the time APHIS decides that
it is appropriate to be involved in the response effort.)
Preparedness, Partnerships, & Planning
In FY 2019, APHIS continued to expand its animal health readiness capacity by increasing the
number of first responders to enable the Agency to respond more rapidly and effectively to
animal health emergency events. As of the end of FY 2019, 119 of the 130 (92 percent) National
Incident Management Team Command and General Staff positions were filled. These are
collateral-duty volunteer positions which involve a consistent turnover of personnel from year
to year. In FY 2019, Emergency Support Function #11: Agriculture and Natural Resources (ESF
#11) Coordinators participated in the planning and execution of more than 32 FEMA and State-
led exercises ranging from tabletop exercises to drills providing cross-functional coordination
and assistance. These exercises covered various scenarios including hurricane response,
earthquakes, evacuation and sheltering, agro-terrorism, animal disease response, and
radioactive release response.
APHIS, State cooperators, and industry stakeholders exercised the Secure Milk Supply and
Secure Pork Supply Plans. These plans provide continuity-of-business guidance for premises
with no evidence of foreign animal disease infection in a regulatory control area. Under the
plans, such an operation could move raw milk or live swine to processing if approved by local,
State, tribal, and Federal regulatory officials.
APHIS also serves as a liaison between State and local officials to protect pets, breeders, dealers,
and exhibitors regulated by the Animal Welfare Act to enhance coordination on animal disease
preparedness efforts. The agency works through ESF #11 (Agriculture and Natural Resources)
and ESF #6 (Mass Care, in coordination with FEMA) to support pet owners in disasters. In FY
2019, APHIS held 17 meetings with state emergency management and industry partners and 4
workshops in connection with the Zoo and Aquarium All Hazards Preparedness Response and
Recovery Fusion Center. These partnerships raised awareness of potential emergency
situations and the importance of preparedness. In addition, they positioned the Agency to play
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a critical role supporting animal rescue and sheltering during the California Camp Fire and the
Nebraska floods, and helped the regulated exhibitor community in these areas recover quickly.
In September 2019, APHIS hosted the Swine Fever Exercise for Agriculture Response functional
exercise to target specific areas of an African swine fever (ASF) response with Federal, State,
and local agencies, and industry. Fourteen States participated in the exercise, which focused on
foreign animal disease investigation, movement standstill, depopulation and disposal, and
continuity of business. Participants tested operational and logistical plans, developed or
strengthened relationships and communications, and increased emergency response
preparedness.
Response Efforts and Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) Investigations
In FY 2019, APHIS conducted 1,701 FAD investigations, of which 1,346, or 79 percent, were
vesicular. The high number of vesicular investigations resulted from the ongoing Seneca Valley
A virus (SVA) disease in pigs in the United States and Canada. Although SVA is not regulated,
it mimics foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which is the highest consequence FAD in terms of
regulatory intervention and economic consequences. In addition, APHIS continued its response
to the May 2018 confirmation of virulent Newcastle disease (vND) in southern California.
APHIS contributed 570 personnel for 743 deployments to California, with the average
deployment being three weeks.
In FY 2019, FEMA activated ESF-11 coordinators nine times for incidents including typhoons,
wildfires, flooding, earthquakes, a hurricane, a blizzard, and 29 alerts.
APHIS’ Wildlife Services (WS) Emergency Response System participated in various responses
in FY 2019 including vND, Nebraska floods, contaminant spills, exotic invasive pest species,
and hurricanes, and typhoons. WS deployed 31 personnel on 77 deployments in response to the
vND incident in Southern California. The Program deployed 22 personnel to provide aerial
surveillance and Command support to help with the APHIS response and recovery of massive
flooding in Nebraska, and deployed 11 personnel to respond to wildfires in California. WS also
assisted with natural disaster response and recovery with hurricane Michael and typhoons in
the South Pacific. In addition, WS personnel were deployed either on site or virtually for 1,878
days for 8 mobilized responses. The program also worked with other APHIS programs on three
ASF tabletop exercises.
Safeguarding of Select Agents
APHIS administers the select agents and toxins regulations jointly with the CDC Division of
Select Agents and Toxins, as the FSAP. As of September 30, 2019, 34 entities that contain select
agents covered under APHIS authority are registered with AgSAS, and 38 entities are registered
with CDC. AgSAS conducted 72 inspections of which 29 were verification inspections, 29
renewal inspections, 3 compliance inspections, 1 new entity, 5 new space, and 5 Biosafety Level
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4 (maximum containment) inspections. APHIS issued inspection findings for deficiencies
identified, and issued show cause letters providing entities the option to develop Corrective
Action Plans to address serious noncompliance issues. The Agency conducted joint inspections
with CDC, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense. In addition,
AgSAS collaborated with the FBI to conduct Security Risk Assessments (SRA) to determine the
suitability of individuals requesting access to select agents and toxins. Calendar year 2019
figures will not be available until February 2020; in 2018, however, FSAP facilitated 3,572 SRAs
conducted by the FBI, and restricted the access of 28 individuals based on the results. In FY
2019, AgSAS supported entities and other partners during hazardous events, to ensure the
safety and security of select agents and toxins during disasters.
In FY 2019, APHIS and CDC jointly continued to institute changes in operations and policies in
response to multiple incidents in 2014 involving the possible release of select agents. The two
agencies use a select agent information system and external portal for regulated entities, known
as the electronic Federal Select Agent Program (eFSAP). The eFSAP system allows registered
entities to provide information directly through a secure portal, reducing data entry errors and
cycle time for submitting amendment requests and providing responses to APHIS information
requests. FSAP implemented individual modules as they were developed, including piloting
and testing the system. In addition FSAP developed program guidance for its use and provided
training to staff and regulated entities. In FY 2019, FSAP continued to focus on responding to
several GAO recommendations related to program assessments. The primary activity has been
the development of a Joint FSAP Strategic Plan and associated implementation and monitoring
programs. FSAP also solicited external assistance to perform a joint workforce assessment and
assessment of the FSAP organizational structure. Since FY 2018, FSAP established regular
coordination with USDA representatives overseeing the construction and stand-up of the
National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas to provide guidance on
the select agent registration process. FSAP assigned staff liaisons to collaborate with NBAF
project leadership, performed annual on-site visits to review the facility design, and provided
input into regulatory standards, the process, and timelines for select agent registration.
Modeling and Monitoring
In FY 2019, APHIS continued to enhance disease-spread and control models for avian influenza,
classical swine fever, and HPAI to evaluate the effects of single or integrated alternative control
strategies and potential economic consequences of disease introduction and spread.
SAFE TRADE AND INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Current Activities
APHIS monitors animal and plant health throughout the world and uses this information to set
effective agricultural import policies to prevent the introduction of foreign animal and plant
pests and diseases.
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APHIS negotiates animal and plant health certification requirements, assists U.S. exporters in
meeting foreign regulatory requirements, ensures requirements are proportional to risk without
being excessively restrictive, and provides any necessary technical information to support the
safety of U.S. agricultural products destined for foreign markets.
Selected Examples of Recent Progress in Facilitating Safe Trade:
1. Agriculture Import/Export
APHIS works with other Federal agencies, States, foreign governments, industry, and academia
to protect U.S. agriculture while facilitating the safe trade of animals and animal products.
APHIS also conducts activities related to the 2008 Farm Bill amendments to the Lacey Act,
which prohibit the importation of any plants, with limited exceptions, that are taken or traded
in violation of domestic or international laws. The Lacey Act amendments are designed to help
combat this illegal logging by encouraging importers to research their supply chains and be
aware of the laws governing products they purchase in other countries.
Imports
To facilitate imports, APHIS evaluates the animal health status of regions that wish to export
animals and/or animal products to the United States. FY 2019, APHIS completed several
evaluations and published regulatory actions based on those evaluations in the Federal
Register. These include notices to recognize the State of Baja California, Mexico as free of cattle
fever ticks, Singapore as free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), and Romania as free of
Newcastle disease and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). APHIS also published a
notice concurring with the World Organization for Animal Health risk designations for bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) of negligible risk status for Nicaragua and controlled risk for
Scotland. The conditions for a controlled-risk category are similar to the conditions for a
negligible BSE-risk country, except that controlled-risk countries are required to conduct
additional BSE surveillance. Additionally, APHIS published the proposed rule for the
evaluation and recognition of compartments for animal disease status, consistent with World
Organization for Animal Health international standards. Compartments are established
through biosecurity and management practices as opposed to regions which are established by
geographical boundaries.
APHIS conducted four site visits within several international regions in FY 2019 to confirm their
surveillance, prevention, and control measures are sufficient to minimize the likelihood of
introducing foreign animal diseases into the United States. These include visits to the States of
Sonora and Zacatecas-Jalisco, Mexico for tuberculosis; Ukraine and the Yucatan Peninsula of
Mexico for avian diseases; and European Union (EU) Member States as part of a comprehensive
swine disease status review for the APHIS-defined European classical swine fever region, that
included classical swine fever, FMD, swine vesicular disease, and EU zoning decisions for
African swine fever (ASF). Due to continuing spread and new outbreaks, as of September 30,
2019, six more countries were declared affected with ASF, five additional countries are in
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various stages of review for publication as affected with ASF, and Bulgaria has been added to
regions affected with HPAI. APHIS is working closely with other Federal and State agencies,
the swine industry, and producers to take the necessary actions to protect our nation’s pigs and
keep ASF out of the United States. APHIS and its partners are also conducting exercises and
updating response plans as necessary to bolster preparedness efforts as we continue to monitor
the global status of ASF.
In FY 2019, the Agency implemented improved traceability of imported animals by
implementing the use of identification scanners at the Mexican border that will upload ear tag
information into our traceability databases. Additionally, in FY 2019, APHIS issued 17,933
import permits for live animals, animal products, organisms, and vectors. These include new
permits, renewals, and amendments.
APHIS worked in collaboration with Canada to harmonize the trade protocols for bulk
processed animal proteins, and unprocessed pet food and pet treats. This resulted in removal of
requirements for import permits for raw pet food/treats, and streamlined the required health
certifications. Additionally, in FY 2019, APHIS published a public stakeholder or Federal
Register notice necessitating the filing of APHIS import data for plants, plant products, and
animal products into the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).
Exports
In FY 2019, APHIS negotiated or re-negotiated 103 export protocols for animal products (9 new
markets, 13 re-opened markets, 22 expanded markets, and 59 retained markets). This includes
retaining market access for poultry exports in numerous countries that imposed restrictions due
to outbreaks of avian influenza and Newcastle disease.
APHIS negotiated 165 export protocols for live animals (86 new or reopened markets, 47
retained markets, and 32 expanded markets). To complete export requests, APHIS conducted
voluntary inspections of 1,830 U.S. manufacturing facilities to maintain, expand, or open export
markets in many countries. APHIS also assisted export markets by participating in industry
stakeholder meetings on obtaining new market access, provided technical support to the Office
of the U.S. Trade Representative for World Trade Organization cases, coordinated or supported
13 audits on trade partners with whom we have requested new market access, and engaged in
bilateral trade meetings with 25 countries. In addition, APHIS developed information packages
and questionnaire responses from various countries to maintain, expand, or open export
markets as well as to release held shipments.
In FY 2019, APHIS endorsed more than 275,890 export health certificates for animal products,
livestock, poultry, germplasm, and pets.
APHIS continued to increase the number of animal health export certificates issued
electronically this year by expanding the system capabilities for APHIS’ online Veterinary
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Export Health Certification System (VEHCS). VEHCS capabilities include: digital signature
capabilities, multiple user roles, a certificate upload feature, certificate re-issuance, inclusion of
supporting documents and payment information, and is working to expand the number of
countries and commodities for which electronic certification is available. Due to more trading
partners accepting electronically issued and/or digitally endorsed export health certificates in
FY 2019, the number of export health certificates issued within VEHCS increased by 54.3
percent.
Lacey Act
In FY 2019, APHIS received approximately 830,000 Lacey Act declarations electronically or on
paper (the vast majority were received electronically). With the electronic declaration collection
process fully operational, APHIS enhanced compliance monitoring and enforcement of the
Lacey Act requirements in FY 2019. During FY 2019, APHIS began issuing letters of
noncompliance for importers whose declarations contain errors. This non-punitive outreach
tool informs filers that there are likely errors in their declaration, that corrections should be
made in future filings, that enforcement action could be taken on future filings, and provided
contact information for questions or concerns. APHIS also worked closely with the Department
of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Regulatory Audit and Office of
Trade to implement compliance surveys for Lacey Act declarations and requirements.
Completed compliance surveys led one surveyed company to persuade their Brazilian supplier
to improve traceability throughout the production line. Also as a result of the surveys, a lead
third-party supplier of timber audits and timber supply chain traceability began emphasizing
Lacey Act requirements and expectation regarding internal compliance programs to their
clients, importers of timber and timber products.
2. Overseas Technical & Trade Operations
Through the Overseas Technical and Trade Operations (OTTO) program, APHIS helps U.S.
farmers and ranchers export their products to other countries by resolving concerns over animal
and plant health issues that affect trade of agricultural products.
In addressing sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) barriers to trade, APHIS uses its strong scientific
base and team of technical experts located in the United States and abroad to advocate on behalf
of U.S. agriculture.
Examples of APHIS’ efforts for new market access include: beef and meat products to Morocco
potentially worth $80 million per year (USDA Foreign Agricultural Service); beef and bone meal
to Peru valued at $10 million annually; cattle, goats, and sheep to Turkmenistan valued at $20
million per year; and blueberries to Vietnam valued at $1 million per year (values based on
industry and APHIS analysis). APHIS also works to expand U.S. producers’ access to export
markets and to retain markets that are threatened due to changing requirements in other
countries or pest and disease outbreaks in the United States. In FY 2019, APHIS and other
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Federal agencies, secured an agreement between the United States and Japan that eliminates
Japan’s longstanding age restrictions on U.S. beef and cattle imports. This agreement, which
was a major accomplishment for U.S. cattle producers, allows U.S. products from cattle,
regardless of age, to enter Japan for the first time since 2003.
APHIS continues to enhance U.S. efforts to retain markets threatened or lost due to outbreaks of
avian health diseases including highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), low pathogenic
avian influenza (LPAI), and virulent Newcastle disease (vND). Key successes in FY 2019 include
the limited scope of restrictions placed on the United States after detections of LPAI in
Connecticut and vND in Arizona in commercial establishments. APHIS also reopened a variety
of export markets for Minnesota poultry and poultry products following the completion of the
response to LPAI in that State. APHIS’ outreach to its counterparts in other countries on the U.S.
surveillance system for avian influenza continues to lessen the impact of individual detections
on U.S. poultry trade.
Even for markets that are open to U.S. agricultural products, APHIS must continually address
issues to keep trade flowing smoothly. APHIS successfully secured the release of nearly 200
shipments worth more than $68 million in FY 2019. These detained shipments included a
shipment of rice to Japan worth $11.5 million and a shipment of walnut plants to Chile worth
more than $1.5 million (based on APHIS analysis of industry and shipper-reported values).
In FY 2019, APHIS educated 350 foreign officials about the U.S. regulatory process by hosting
them during 60 visits. APHIS also coordinated and prioritized 100 requests received for subject
matter expertise, trainings, and other outreach-related activities, and fulfilled 81 of those
requests. For example, APHIS worked with the Tuskegee University to train two groups of 43
veterinarians and/or government officials from 11 African countries in SPS risk assessment.
Plant health officials representing 20 countries attended the APHIS Plant Health Systems
Analysis Course. Additionally, APHIS provided four trainings in animal health, with an
emphasis in HPAI and African swine fever (ASF) surveillance and emergency response, to 55
government officials representing approximately 45 countries. Additionally, APHIS supported
two courses in Vietnam to assist with ASF response efforts in that country, with 60 veterinarians
and/or government officials participating. These activities are designed to help other countries
increase their regulatory capacity, which over the long term, help prevent the trans-national
spread of serious pests and diseases as well as increase other countries’ ability to engage in safe
agricultural trade.
APHIS emphasizes the use of scientific principles as a basis for international trade decisions to
help ensure that the same rules apply to countries around the world and foster a successful
trading environment. To achieve this level playing field, APHIS works with international
standard-setting bodies such as the World Organisation for Animal Health and the
International Plant Protection Convention to encourage other countries to follow this model. In
FY 2019, APHIS participated in a transparency workshop organized by the World Trade
Organization’s (WTO) SPS Committee offering tools, mechanisms, and other information to
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help WTO member countries fulfill their SPS transparency obligations. During FY 2019, APHIS
reviewed and commented on WTO notifications on regulations for import risk assessments of
propagative materials and on import health standards for equine semen and embryos as well as
a draft decree guiding livestock production, among others.
APHIS continued its comprehensive succession planning efforts, with special emphasis on
developing the Foreign Service cadre. Through this succession effort, APHIS is augmenting its
current overseas Foreign Service cadre, many of whom are eligible for retirement in the next
five to ten years. The succession effort helps ensure that APHIS has trained staff to support U.S.
exports and overseas animal and plant health programs. As a result of this program, APHIS has
deployed eight new Foreign Service personnel to China, Brazil, Peru, Costa Rica, Belgium, the
Dominican Republic, Senegal, and South Africa. In addition, APHIS has developed a process to
evaluate the location of its overseas offices and the most effective way to support the Agency’s
mission, strengthening APHIS’ ability to address SPS and other issues overseas in traditional
and emerging markets.
ANIMAL WELFARE
Current Activities
The Agency ensures the humane care and treatment of certain animals and horses as required
by the Animal Welfare Act of 1966 as amended (7 U.S.C. 2131-2159), and the Horse Protection
Act (HPA) of 1970 as amended (15 U.S.C. 1821-1831) through inspection, education, and
enforcement efforts.
Selected Examples of Recent Progress in Animal Welfare:
1. Animal Welfare
APHIS’ Animal Welfare Program has the unique Federal role of ensuring the humane care and
treatment of animals covered by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) through inspection, learning
opportunities, and enforcement efforts. In FY 2019, the program oversaw 8,954 licensees and
registrants associated with 12,851 facilities.
Licensing Activities
In FY 2019, APHIS conducted 752 pre-licensing inspections, and issued 661 new licenses. The
Agency determines initial compliance by conducting unannounced inspections within three
months of issuing the license. At the first unannounced inspection, 98 percent of these newly
licensed facilities were in substantial compliance, with no critical AWA citations on the
inspection report.
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For licensed and registered facilities, APHIS inspectors perform primarily unannounced
inspections to assess compliance with the AWA. FY 2019, APHIS conducted 9,326 inspections
and found 96 percent of all facilities to be in substantial compliance with the AWA.
APHIS’ compliance support program assists facilities struggling to achieve or sustain
compliance with the AWA. In FY 2019, the program completed 476 non-inspection activities
with regulated facilities to work through compliance changes.
In FY 2019, APHIS debuted the Licensing and Registration Assistant, an online self-service tool,
to help individuals and businesses identify their licensing and registration needs under the
AWA. This tool streamlines the licensing and registration process by allowing potentially
regulated entities to first determine which type of license or registration they need. This change
prevents unnecessary delays to businesses and improves the cooperative relationship that
makes regulatory oversight easier and more effective. Phone calls for assistance have declined
22 percent in the first six months of use. These changes have allowed the Agency to complete 98
percent of renewals in five days or less in 2019.
Registered Research Facilities
Of the 8,954 regulated entities, nearly 1,131 are comprised of Research Facilities (RFs) registered
under the AWA. APHIS collaborates with The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) to help oversee the welfare of animals used in research. In FY
2019, APHIS continued to partner with NIH, FDA, and other agencies on the
Interagency
Collaborative Animal Research Education Project, designed to empower IACUC’s and their
institutions to improve animal welfare and increase compliance with Federal standards while
minimizing regulatory burdens.
In addition to conducting unannounced inspections of research facilities, all USDA-registered
research facilities and Federal research facilities are required to submit an Annual Report that
documents its use of animals for research, testing, teaching, experimentation, and/or surgery.
The reports identify the number of animals used or held for research, testing, teaching,
experimentation, and/or surgery. Beginning in FY 2019, the Agency began use of an online
reporting option for Annual Report submission. This new web-based option improves the
overall customer experience and reduces burden for registered facilities.
Since FY 2016, USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has voluntarily registered its
animal research facilities with APHIS to promote animal welfare and establish the fully
functioning IACUC. APHIS has registered 38 ARS research facilities under the AWA. APHIS
monitors the health and welfare of animals housed at ARS facilities through the use of our
unannounced inspection process. In FY 2019, APHIS conducted 47 inspections at all ARS facility
sites. Of those inspected in FY 2019, all but four facilities were found to be in compliance during
the unannounced inspection process.
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Enforcement Activities
In FY 2019, APHIS initiated 17 cases for alleged violations of the AWA, issued 2 official
warnings, issued 4 pre-litigation settlements resulting in the collection of $17,000 in stipulated
penalties, and obtained 10 administrative orders, assessing $147,300 in civil penalties. In FY
2019, the Agency focused enforcement efforts on the most serious violations, resulting in the
issuance of fewer official warnings and fewer referred cases to the Office of General Counsel.
Outreach/Stakeholder Activities
APHIS’ Animal Welfare Program serves as a national resource for policy development and
analysis, supports compliance efforts through non-regulatory methods such as education,
training, and outreach to stakeholders to convey critical and current animal welfare
information, and reviews and promotes science and technology related to improving the
welfare of animals. In FY 2019, APHIS led the USDA partnership with the Breeder Leadership
Council, a national group of state breeder group representatives. APHIS hosted the 7th annual
joint USDA/Breeder Leadership Council meeting with representatives from 12 states
representing 90 percent of all licensed dog dealers in the United States. This working
relationship impacts the welfare of over 180,000 dogs licensed under the AWA.
The program also issued 20 newly-designed one-page, easy to use “Animal Care Aids”
designed to assist customers with the care of their animals. These non-regulatory guides, on
topics such as Puppy Socialization and Non-human Primate Enrichment are another
opportunity for the Agency to build partnerships with the regulated community and
stakeholder groups by focusing on important welfare issues. In addition to the inspectors, the
American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Kennel Club distributed the aids
toward our common goal of improving welfare.
In FY 2019, APHIS issued 2,002 permits covering 6,263 dogs entering the United States. To
ensure the Agency is providing high quality customer service to importers, APHIS has
automated the permitting process. Importers can now obtain a permit online, resulting in 50
percent faster permit processing, from 135/month prior to the upgrade to 253/month in the 2
months after implementation.
Regulatory Changes
In March 2019, APHIS requested public comment on proposed updates to the AWA licensing
requirements. After carefully considering the more than 110,000 comments it received in
response, APHIS has proposed to amend the licensing requirements to eliminate automatic
renewals. With this change, licensees would have to demonstrate compliance with the AWA
and show that the animals in their possession are adequately cared for in order to obtain a
license. These proposed changes would also strengthen existing regulations to prevent
individuals and businesses whose licenses were suspended or revoked from working for
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regulated entities. For licensees who are fully compliant, the regulatory processes should
impose the least burden possible, so the Agency is taking steps to streamline the licensing
process by reducing licensing fees and simplifying the payment and collection process.
2. Horse Protection
Inspection Activities
Under the HPA, the management of horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions are
responsible for ensuring that sored horses do not unfairly compete alongside horses that are not
sore Management may use third-party inspectors that USDA-certified horse industry
organizations (HIOs) train and license to inspect horses for compliance with the HPA. These
third-party inspectors are known as Designated Qualified Persons (DQPs).
APHIS attends a number of HPA-covered events each year to observe DQP performance and
inspect horses for HPA compliance. In FY 2019, APHIS attended 46 horse events, inspected
1,210 horses and identified 250 instances of suspected noncompliance with the HPA. In FY 2019,
DQPs attended 254 HPA events and inspected 51,873 horse entries. In total, DQPs identified 990
HPA noncompliances, and management disqualified 910 entries. Inspections conducted by
DQP’s were similar in number from the previous fiscal year (over 51,000 horses and detected
649 instances of noncompliance with the HPA in FY 2018).
Enforcement Activities
In FY 2019, APHIS presented a training session for industry inspectors. The session refreshed
training to existing DQPs and initial training for those interested in becoming DQPs. Agency
representatives also attended two HIO training clinics to provide support and clarification
regarding HPA requirements. Additionally, APHIS held two shoeing and inspection clinics for
walking horse owners, trainers and exhibitors to enhance understanding of the regulatory
requirements and inspection processes.
APHIS worked with the Office of the General Counsel to initiate two cases and obtain 85
administrative orders. APHIS assessed $71,100 in civil penalties, and disqualified 66 persons for
a total of 78.5 years from participating in activities regulated under the HPA.
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AGENCY MANAGEMENT
Current Activities
The Agency Management programs support the daily operations of APHIS and provide for a
safe and secure work environment. These programs provide the information technology, space,
and telecommunications infrastructure that gives Agency employees the tools they need to
carry out their responsibilities. These programs also oversee and implement precautionary
security measures for continued mission operations while ensuring the safety of APHIS people
and facilities. In addition, these programs support APHIS’ contribution to the U.S. Department
of State’s continuing implementation of the Capital Security Cost Sharing Program, which
provides safe and secure workplaces for all U.S. government employees located overseas.
Selected Examples of Recent Progress in Agency Management:
1. APHIS Information Technology and Infrastructure
APHIS’ Information Technology Infrastructure (AITI) is comprised of the hardware, software,
cloud computing and cyber-security infrastructure that provides Agency employees with office
automation tools, Internet access, and access to mission-critical information technology (IT)
programs and administrative applications.
License Renewal
APHIS supported approximately 9,700 users with license renewals so they can access and
legally use the enterprise software in conducting business.
Availability
APHIS supported internal and external stakeholders by providing optimal levels of service. The
Agency continued to maintain 99.97 percent availability for its key computing systems this
fiscal year. The AITI program also maintained applications availability outside of the normal
operational hours, on weekends, and holidays to ensure availability of systems.
Cloud Services
As a requirement of the Federal government’s Data Center Optimization Initiative, APHIS has
completed migration of all business applications from on-site data centers to the remote cloud
servers. As of April 2019, APHIS closed all on site Agency data centers.
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Cyber-Security
APHIS maintained the current version of National Institute of Standards and Technology and
Federal Information Security Management Act testing standards to continue protecting our
cyber security infrastructure and reducing vulnerabilities of our systems. APHIS also
introduced an Agency led intrusion prevention security system called Checkpoint, further
increasing security protection.
Security Monitoring
The Agency renewed the upgraded security monitoring system that tracks improper use of
personally identifiable information data stored in the APHIS infrastructure. The Agency’s
security branch is working with the human resources office to mitigate identified
vulnerabilities.
2. Physical Operational Security
APHIS oversees and implements precautionary measures to ensure continued, efficient mission
operations, and protection from disruption, degradation, or destruction of its facilities through
the Physical and Operational Security (POS) program. In FY 2019, the program provided
training to more than 1,600 employees, including seminars relating to active shooter response,
situational awareness, scenario-based role-playing, illegal drugs, self-defense, terrorism, local
crime trends, and travel safety. The program also provided workplace violence prevention
seminars and multiple security briefings for employees who work along the international
border or in foreign countries.
The POS program performed 19 live active shooter training exercises at Agency offices in
California, Florida, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and Puerto Rico. This scenario-based
exercise provided a dynamic, interactive exercise for 400 APHIS employees, and over 140
participating local law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical service personnel. The APHIS
active shooter training plan and materials were evaluated by 40 law enforcement agencies and
the Nations’ leading active shooter private consulting firm.
The POS program investigates, assesses, and mitigates all internal and external threats directed
at Agency facilities, programs and personnel. These threats include death threats, terrorist
threats, and assaults, among others. As a result, in FY 2019, APHIS investigated 80 external
threats to its employees, and 63 workplace violence incidents to ensure employee safety. The
POS program also works to ensure employee safety in the same manner, at or near the Mexican
border, and throughout Mexico, Panama, and Guatemala.
184 previous facility assessments using the updated ISC criteria and USDA reporting format. As
a result, the POS program provided security upgrades and repairs to 108 facilities. In addition,
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the POS program is also responsible for issuing, activating, or updating approximately 3,800
personal identification verification cards to APHIS personnel.
APHIS security specialists investigate threats and respond to requests for protection throughout
the country for APHIS veterinarians and inspectors who are enforcing regulations in
challenging environments. In support of safety precautions for APHIS employees who enforce
the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and Horse Protection Act (HPA), the POS program provided
security during 16 inspections of regulated AWA entities, 49 HPA events, and provided
protection for more than 20 personnel representing Federal agencies at a multi-day AWA
hearing.
Additionally, in FY 2019 the POS program provided 52 weeks of continuous security support in
response to the virulent Newcastle disease outbreak in Southern California. This included
providing personnel security escorts on residential properties, threat analyses, security
assessments, and law enforcement coordination.
The Security Embassy Construction Counterterrorism Act’s Capital Security Cost Sharing
Program requires the Agency to help fund the construction of new Embassy compounds based
on the number of authorized positions. The POS program worked with the U.S. Department of
State to establish a security baseline for APHIS facilities overseas. In FY 2019, APHIS had
approximately 300 full-time employees based in countries around the world. This program
provides safe and secure diplomatic facilities for the Agency’s overseas personnel.
3. Rent and Department of Homeland Security Payments
APHIS continued to take steps to better utilize space within its facilities and offices in FY 2019.
In April 2019, the Agency awarded a lease for its Raleigh hub. To maximize the available space
at this hub, APHIS is incorporating a number of space management practices in accordance
with USDA’s design guidelines such as 36 square foot workstations, 120 square foot offices, and
several small meeting areas. APHIS will take occupancy of the new space starting in February
2020.
MULTI-AGENCY COORDINATION (MAC) GROUP
Selected Examples of Recent Progress in Multi-Agency Coordination Group:
1. Huanglongbing
In FY 2019, the HLB Multi-Agency Coordination (HLB MAC) funded 32 new projects, and
supported several meetings convened to enhance research efforts on finding a cure for HLB. In
FY 2019, the HLB MAC coordinated research efforts between citrus research funding
organizations, enhanced collaboration between citrus breeders, and addressed barriers to
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efficient advancement of research programs. Additionally, HLB MAC continued to support
projects on therapeutics for HLB-infected trees, including additional work on thermotherapy
and field testing of new chemicals. HLB MAC also supported projects that field tested
potentially resistant or tolerant citrus varieties. Early detection technologies for HLB remain a
focus for the HLB MAC, especially in California. The HLB MAC continues to support projects to
train HLB detector dogs and conducted a review of early detection technologies. The group also
supported a project for early detection of HLB using remote sensors mounted to drones. Control
of ACP continues to be a top priority for the HLB MAC. In FY 2019, the HLB MAC provided
funding for projects on biocontrol efforts and attract and kill technologies, and completed a
review of impacts of biocontrol on ACP populations. This year, HLB MAC supported the Citrus
Research and Field Trials (CRaFT) project in Florida to improve management of citrus in the
face of HLB. The CRaFT Foundation will conduct a broad scale project to field test HLB
management practices. This project will evaluate a variety of management practices on a large
scale to determine the best techniques for growing citrus in HLB infested areas.
EMERGENCY ACTIVITIES FUNDED BY TRANSFERS FROM COMMODITY CREDIT
CORPORATION
Selected Examples of Recent Progress in Transfers from Commodity Credit Corporation:
1. Bovine Tuberculosis
In FY 2019, APHIS spent $2.5 million in Commodity Credit Corporation funds (CCC) on
tuberculosis (TB) eradication activities. In FY 2019, APHIS identified four TB affected beef herds
in Michigan. Two of these herds were detected in Michigan’s modified accredited free zone, and
the other two were detected in the State’s accredited free zone. Additionally, APHIS identified
five TB affected dairy herds (two in Texas and one in Wisconsin, North Dakota and New
Mexico, respectively) and one TB affected calf raiser herd (Texas). APHIS used CCC funds to
conduct test-and-remove protocols and depopulation activities in accordance with each herd’s
management plan.
2. Spotted Lanternfly
In FY 2019, APHIS and cooperators used approximately $7.1 million in emergency funds to
continue addressing the SLF infestation in the southeast portion of Pennsylvania (which
extended into New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware). The program used appropriated funds
and funding available under Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention
Program, not only to address a smaller infestation in Virginia, but to conduct surveys in other
states, including New York and Massachusetts.
In FY 2019, the program assessed more than 64,000 properties covering 125,865 acres and found
SLF in 2 new locations outside the expected area of spread. During FY 2019, the program
improved treatment efficiency and treated 690,000 trees, 6 times the amount initially planned.
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Additionally, the program began treating areas along rail lines, creating a web of treated areas
to stop both artificial and natural pest spread. APHIS continues to evaluate the effectiveness of
the control strategy through tracking population levels.
3. Virulent Newcastle Disease
In FY 2019, APHIS spent approximately $28 million in emergency funds to address an outbreak
of virulent Newcastle disease (vND) mainly in California, and safeguard U.S. poultry and egg
producers. Since May 2018, APHIS identified vND infection on 471 premises in California, one
premises in Utah, and a single location in Arizona. Although the vast majority of confirmed
cases have occurred in backyard exhibition birds, four commercial flocks in California have also
been affected. This ongoing outbreak has affected approximately 1.2 million birds in six
counties in southern California and one. Since the latest case was detected and depopulated in
September 2019, APHIS efforts are focusing on intensive surveillance and outreach activities in
the affected areas to identify and eliminate any remaining cases of disease. Completing
surveillance testing goals will allow State officials to release quarantine areas and provide data
for APHIS to report to the OIE and assure trading partners that the U.S. is again free of vND.
4. Farm Bill
For FY 2019, the Farm Bill provided approximately $75 million. These funds are subject to the
sequestration of mandatory funds ($4.65 million in FY 2019).
Plant Pest and Disease Management
APHIS and cooperators have identified six major strategies (the first with two sub-goals) to
implement Plant Pest and Disease Management efforts: 1a) enhancing plant pest/disease
analysis; 1b) enhancing plant pest survey; 2) targeting domestic inspection activities at
vulnerable points; 3) enhancing pest identification tools and technology; 4) developing
programs to safeguard nursery production; 5) enhancing outreach and education; and 6)
enhancing mitigation capabilities. APHIS funded 386 projects in FY 2019, supporting a variety
of Federal, State, academic, Tribal, and private entity stakeholders.
Enhance Plant Pest/Disease Analysis
Under this goal, APHIS supports projects that compile, synthesize, or evaluate data to inform or
enhance risk and pathway analysis, surveillance methodology, or resource prioritization. In FY
2019, the program provided approximately $2.1 million for 18 projects in this goal area.
Enhance Plant Pest Survey
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Under this goal, APHIS supports surveys for multiple, high-risk pests in port environs, across
pathways of introduction, and in specialty crop commodities nationally. In FY 2019, the
National Survey Supply Program used Farm Bill funds to distribute over 400,000 different plant
pest trap and lure units to 49 states and 3 territories; and executed approximately 2,000 different
trap and lure procurement orders. The orders consisted of approximately 125 different products
to support the various detection and surveys that APHIS and State Cooperators conduct. These
surveys complement those the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey conduct, and have
expanded the number and scope of pest survey activities across the United States as well as
help demonstrate our country’s freedom from certain high-risk pests. In FY 2019, this program
supported 180 multi-pest surveys and 269 unique pests targeted for survey in all 50 States and
one territory. These included commodity surveys of apple, grape, stone fruit, palm,
solanaceous, small fruit and berries, and other orchard crops, as well as surveys for Asian
defoliators, exotic woodborers, bark beetles and other forest pests, cyst nematodes, mollusks,
and pathway surveys covering multiple agricultural systems. Overall, the program provided
approximately $14.4 million for 151 projects in this goal area.
Targeting Domestic Inspection Activities at Vulnerable Points
Under this goal, APHIS supports domestic inspection activities at high risk sites (e.g.,
warehouses and parcel facilities), inspects regulated articles moving interstate, and uses trained
canine detection teams to improve detection capabilities. In FY 2019, the program continued to
support canine team efforts in California where 14 teams work at Express Couriers and U.S.
Postal Service offices in 10 counties, and in Florida where 6 teams work at Express Couriers in 4
counties and are cross trained to detect giant African snails. Overall, the program provided
approximately $5.75 million for five projects in this goal area in FY 2019.
Enhance Pest Identification Tools and Technology
Under this goal, APHIS supports the ongoing development of improvements in pest
identification and detection. This includes improved identification capacity and taxonomic
understanding of groups of organisms, taxonomic support for surveys targeting high
consequence pests, and the development of pest detection technology. APHIS spent
approximately $6.3 million on 49 projects in support of this goal in FY 2019.
Developing Programs to Safeguard Nursery Production
Under this goal, APHIS supports projects to develop science-based best management practices
and risk mitigation practices to exclude, contain, and control regulated pests from the nursery
production chain, and developing and harmonizing audit-based nursery certification programs.
The program provided approximately $2 million for 14 projects in this goal area in FY 2019.
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Enhancing Outreach and Education
Under this goal, APHIS works to engage the public in early detection efforts by strengthening
existing volunteer networks. APHIS emphasizes efforts that can lead to behavior changes
among the public and the regulated community to prevent the introduction or spread of high-
consequence pests into and throughout the United States. Overall, the program provided
approximately $3.9 million for 60 projects in this goal area in FY 2019.
Enhance Mitigation Capabilities
Under the goal of enhancing mitigation capabilities, APHIS provides technical assistance prior
to, during, and immediately following a plant pest outbreak, develops new mitigation tools and
strategies, and increases emergency preparedness through the development of New Pest
Response Guidelines and Incident Command System training. APHIS spent approximately
$28.5 million on 89 projects in this goal area in FY 2019.
National Clean Plant Network (NCPN)
In FY 2019, APHIS used $6.5 million in Section 10007 funds to provide NCPN support to
qualified clean plant centers through a cooperative agreements program. The application
process allowed stakeholders to offer input into projects proposed for funding through pre-
proposals, which are designed to help clean plant centers prioritize and harmonize their
resourcing requests. As a result, APHIS entered into 25 cooperative agreements with clean plant
centers and related entities in 15 States and one U.S. territory (Puerto Rico). The clean plant
centers that receive NCPN funding are using the resources to: 1) diagnose for harmful
pathogens that cause disease in covered specialty crops; 2) apply therapeutic measures to
eliminate these pathogens; 3) establish plantings of clean plant ‘starter’ material and make this
material available to nurseries and growers; 4) work with nurseries and growers in
education/outreach programs to communicate the economic value to industry of using clean
nursery stock; 5) advance quality management initiatives to further strengthen confidence in
program processes and products, and 6) engage in the process of establishing and governing a
network of collaborative clean plant centers.
Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program
The Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP) was authorized by Section 2408
of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-334). The Farm Bill provided $75 million
in mandatory funding for fiscal years 2019 through 2023 and this funding is equally divided
between the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) to carry out the pilot program
In this first year of the program, USDA has identified 20 pilot projects in 10 of the highest density
States, and has prepared for project implementation beginning in early fiscal year 2020. In
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addition to conducting necessary planning, APHIS purchased necessary equipment required for
further implementation in FY 2020. For example, APHIS purchased five helicopters which are
critical to reducing feral swine populations in difficult to reach areas. APHIS also entered into an
agreement with Texas A&M University to identify and implement best practices for feral swine
removal and implementation of agency pilot projects. APHIS will begin full implementation of
the pilot projects across all 10 states in FY 2020.
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SUMMARY OF KEY FY 2019 CCC FUNDED EMERGENCY ACTIVITIES
Emergency/Activity
Total
Available
in FY 2019
Total
Obligations
in FY 2019
1
Bovine Tuberculosis
$21,457,755
$2,504,961
2
Spotted Lanternfly
7,078,368
7,078,368
3
Virulent Newcastle Disease
44,979,576
28,010,895
4
Farm Bill - Plant Protection Act, Section 7721
70,569,649
70,507,875
5
Farm Bill - Animal Disease Prevention and Management, Section
12101
120,000,000
0
6
Farm Bill - Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program,
Section 2408
37,500,000
3,551,669
Total
$301,585,348
$111,653,768
a/ Total Available includes account recoveries, where applicable.
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BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES
LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENT
APPROPRIATIONS LANGUAGE
The appropriations language follows (new language underscored; deleted matter enclosed in
brackets):
1
2
3
4
For plans, construction, repair, preventive maintenance, environmental support,
improvement, extension, alteration, and purchase of fixed equipment or facilities, as
authorized by 7 U.S.C. 2250, and acquisition of land as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 2268a,
[$3,175,000] $2,574,000, to remain available until expended.
The first change (line 4) deletes 2020 appropriation amounts and replace it with the 2021
requests.
2020 Appropriations.............................................................................................................................
$3,175,000
Change in Appropriation..................................................................................................................... -601,000
2021 Request, Current Law.................................................................................................................. $2,574,000
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PROJECT STATEMENT
Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY
Direct Appropriations:
Buildings and Facilities.......................................... $3,175 0 $3,175 0 $3,175 0 $2,574 0 -$601 0
Total, Appropriations............................................ 3,175 0 3,175 0 3,175 0 2,574 0 -601 0
Carryover from Prior Years:
Buildings and Facilities........................................ 2,261 0 1,409 0 2,724 0 2,399 0 -325 0
General Provision 743 Fruit Fly Rearing Facility 46,888 0 42,165 0 42,112 0 42,112 0 0 0
Subtotal, Carryover 49,149 0 43,574 0 44,836 0 44,511 0 -325 0
Recoveries................................................................. 25 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total Available....................................................... 52,349 0 46,751 0 48,011 0 47,085 0 -926 0
Lapsing Balances...................................................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Balances, Available End of Year............................... -43,574 0 -44,836 0 -44,511 0 -21,973 0 22,538 0
Total Obligations ................................................... $8,775 0 $1,915 0 $3,500 0 $25,112 0 $21,612 0
Actual
Actual
Enacted
Budget Request
2020 Enacted
Buildings and Facilities
(Dollars in Thousands)
2018
2019
2020
2021
Change from
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JUSTIFICATIONS OF INCREASES/DECREASES
(1) Building and Facilities, A decrease of $601,000 and 0 staff years ($3,175,000 and 0 staff
years available in FY 2020 Enacted)
The Buildings and Facilities (B&F) program addresses APHIS’ facility needs in support
of the Agency’s mission to protect the health and value of agriculture and natural
resources nationwide. The program’s goal is to systematically address the Agency’s
needs for maintaining and repairing existing facilities, as well as constructing new
facilities. APHIS’ Facility Condition Index (FCI) drives the projects; the FCI is the sum of
the costs of needed repairs divided by the replacement value of the facility. APHIS
strives to maintain an FCI for facilities assessed of less than 0.10, meaning that the cost to
make repairs is less than 10 percent of the estimated replacement value for the facilities.
The agency’s deferred maintenance backlog and associated cost currently totals $96
million.
This program serves a vital role in maintaining APHIS’ facilities so that employees can
continue to carry out their responsibilities in a safe and efficient manner. The
commitment to maintain the condition and functionality of facilities is an ongoing
process that demands significant management of capital resources. The program
manages the implementation of scheduled facility improvements, safety, construction,
and maintenance. Contractors perform inspections and tests to substantiate that the
supplies or services furnished under the contract conform to contract requirements. In
addition, a design firm validates that the work aligns with approved plans and
specifications. APHIS typically identifies on-site certified personnel to perform the
contracting services. The Agency’s engineering staff attends on-site construction
progress meetings, and APHIS collects performance data through contractor reports and
on-site verification.
In FY 2019, APHIS awarded 15 design/construction tasks associated with projects that
cost approximately $2 million, and completed 18 construction projects. Approximately
40 percent of these repairs were major renovations, and 60 percent were minor repairs.
Among these projects were the modernization of the Pocatello Supply Depot in
Pocatello, Idaho; resurfacing selected flooring at the Miami Animal Import Center in
Miami, Florida; and designing the replacement of a laboratory chiller plant at the
National Wildlife Research Center in Fort Collins, Colorado.
The B&F program allows APHIS to centrally coordinate and prioritize these types of
projects. Without necessary maintenance and repairs to facilities there could be program
delays, environmental impacts, and noncompliance with State and local laws and codes.
Many of APHIS’ facilities have specialized functions that support various Federal, State,
and local government programs, stakeholders, and customers. B&F projects ensure that
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APHIS’ programs can be conducted at safe, secure, sustainable, and high-performing
facilities.
Approximately 99 percent of B&F funding supports indefinite delivery, indefinite
quantity contracts (e.g., architect and engineering support), and construction contracts.
These contracts, which provide indefinite supplies or services during a fixed time
period, help streamline the contract process and expedite service delivery. The
remaining funds support operating costs.
At the requested level, APHIS will reduce funding available by $601,000 for the
maintenance and repair of its facilities. The program will continue to centrally
coordinate and prioritize facility improvement projects using the remaining available
funds.
GEOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN OF OBLIGATIONS AND STAFF YEARS
(dollars in thousands; staff years (SY))
State/Territory/Country
2018
Actual
SY
2019
Actual
SY
2020
Enacted
SY
2021
Budget
SY
Colorado................................ $25 - $100 - $1,350 - $150 -
Florida................................... - - 104 - 700 - 200 -
Hawaii................................... - - - - 100 - - -
Idaho..................................... 194 - 1,312 - 500 - 200 -
Iowa...................................... 32 - - - - - - -
Maryland............................... 132 - 57 - 215 - 150 -
Massachusetts........................ 1,700 - - - - - - -
Michigan............................... 12 - - - 130 - - -
Mississippi............................. - - 50 - - - 150 -
Montana................................ 20 - 4 - - - - -
New York.............................. - - - - 150 - 250 -
South Carolina...................... 33 - - - - - - -
Texas..................................... 6,566 - 123 - 150 - 23,912 -
Utah...................................... 41 - 8 - - - - -
Virginia.................................. - - 84 - 150 - - -
Wisconsin.............................. - - 35 - - - 50 -
Wyoming.............................. 20 - 7 - - - - -
U.S. TERRITORIES:
Puerto Rico............................ - - 31 - - - - -
NORTH AMERICA:
Mexico................................... - - - - 55 - 50 -
Obligations.......................... 8,775 - 1,915 - 3,500 - 25,112 -
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CLASSIFICATION BY OBJECTS
(thousands of dollars)
Item
No.
Item
2018
Actual
2019
Actual
2020
Enacted
2021
Budget
Other Objects:
25.0
Other contractual services
$8,775
$1,915
$3,500
$25,112
Total, Other Objects
8,775
1,915
3,500
25,112
99.9
Total, new obligations
8,775
1,915
3,500
25,112
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STATUS OF PROGRAMS – BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES
The Buildings and Facilities (B&F) appropriation funds major, nonrecurring, construction
projects in support of program activities, and recurring construction, alterations, and repairs of
existing facilities. These projects and activities allow other programs and employees to focus on
APHIS’ mission of protecting the health and value of agriculture, and natural resources
nationwide.
Facilities Condition Assessment
At the end of FY 2019, the FCI for the 47 facilities assessed was 0.13, meaning the cost to correct
currently identified and anticipated deficiencies is 13 percent of the estimated replacement
value. Of these 47 facilities, 21 scored below the desired 0.10.
Summary of Current Projects
The B&F program implements scheduled improvements, and conducts security, construction,
and maintenance activities.
As of October 2019, APHIS’ B&F appropriation supports nine active projects. In FY 2019, APHIS
awarded 15 design/construction tasks associated with projects at a cost of approximately $2
million and completed 18 construction projects. Approximately 40 percent of these repairs were
major renovations and the remaining 60 percent were for minor repairs. Among these projects
were the modernization of an agency facility in Pocatello, Idaho; resurfacing flooring at the
Miami Animal Import Center in Miami, Florida; and designing the replacement of a laboratory
chiller plant at the National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC), Fort Collins, Colorado.
Supply Depot Modernization Project, Pocatello, Idaho
In FY 2019, the construction contract was awarded to EPMH Joint Venture. The primary
objective of this project is to address multiple facility deficiencies including updating the
heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, upgrading the fire alarm system, and the
installation of a shower and restroom. This construction work remains on going.
NWRC – Chiller Plant Replacement Project, Fort Collins, Colorado
In FY 2019, the design contract was awarded to the same company. The primary objective of
this project is to replace the existing chiller plant which is obsolete and approaching the end of
its life cycle with one that would offer the most benefits on a long-term basis. This project is
currently under design.
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SUMMARY OF PERFORMANCE
The Secretary of Agriculture established the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) on April 2, 1972, under the authority of the Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1953 and
other authorities. The mission of the agency is to safeguard the health, welfare, and value of
American agriculture and natural resources. APHIS employs a broad range of programs and
unique authorities to deliver this mission. Together with its stakeholders, APHIS promotes the
health of animal and plant resources to ensure abundant agricultural products and services for
U.S. customers. APHIS monitors and responds to potential diseases of livestock and wildlife,
invasive species, and conflicts between humans and wildlife as it strives to assure its
stakeholders that it is on guard against the introduction or re-emergence of animal and plant
pests and diseases that could limit agricultural production. The agency also balances a
regulatory system that safeguards agriculture while fostering innovative research and
development in the field of biotechnology. In addition, APHIS has protected the welfare of
millions of animals used in research, exhibition, and the pet trade as well as those transported
in commerce through inspection, education, and enforcement efforts.
USDA Strategic Goal 2: Maximize the Ability of American Agricultural Producers to Prosper
by Feeding and Clothing the World
Key Performance Indicator
2018
2019
2019
2020
2021
Actual
Target
Actual
Target
Target
Number of hours it takes to
mobilize resources once it is
determined that a Federal
emergency response is
needed to manage an
agricultural outbreak (target
of within 24 hours)
24 24 24 24 24
Dollars (in thousands)
$5,723
$5,723
$5,723
$5,723
$5,723
Percent of high-risk plant
pests for which early
detection surveys are
conducted
96 95 96 96 96
Dollars (in thousands)
$27,446
$27,446
$27,446
$27,446
$27,446
SELECTED PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS TOWARD THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE KPI OUTCOMES
APHIS conducts surveillance for domestic and foreign animal diseases to ensure the rapid
detection of agricultural threats and to document the presence or absence of diseases in support
of trade. When a serious pest or disease outbreak occurs, the Agency activates its emergency
response mechanisms to contain the outbreak. In FY 2019, APHIS worked with State and
industry partners to continue to eradicate virulent Newcastle disease (vND), a contagious and
EXPLANATORY NOTES – ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
22-153
fatal viral disease affecting the respiratory, nervous and digestive systems of birds and poultry.
The Agency mobilized resources and logistics support for the vND control effort in response to
multiple outbreaks in California and one each in Arizona and Utah within 24 hours of
determining that a Federal response was needed, helping to prevent additional disease spread
and eradicate the disease more quickly. APHIS maintains the capacity to respond rapidly to a
variety of agricultural emergencies. The program conducted nine workshops and tabletop
exercises in FY 2019 to ensure that employees, cooperators, and contractors are trained and
prepared for emergencies. Examples include training for staff and contractors involved in
maintaining emergency response equipment and exercises related to foot-and-mouth disease
and African swine fever. The program also conducts quarterly tests of its 24-hour hotline for
animal disease emergencies.
APHIS and cooperators targeted a total of 128 high-risk plant pests of national concern for
survey in corn, oak, pine, small grains, soybean, and nursery crop commodities, as well as
exotic wood boring bark beetles and cyst nematodes, among others. These pests represent 96
percent of the total target high-risk plant pests suggested for survey in FY 2019. Through the
surveys, APHIS and cooperators detected one high-risk pest, a moth species that
defoliates
trees, in Washington State. Detecting the pest allows APHIS and State officials to take action
and reduce impacts from the pest.
SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS EXPECTED AT THE 2021 PROPOSED RESOURCE LEVEL
APHIS will continue to maintain and deploy countermeasures against the most damaging
animal diseases within 24 hours and exercise emergency response capabilities with States,
territories, and Tribal partners. In FY 2021, the agency will schedule tabletop exercises and
trainings in the deployment of resources and response preparedness, ensuring that the agency
and its partners are prepared to respond quickly and effectively to animal health events.
APHIS will conduct surveys in 50 States and 3 territories for at least 96 percent of high-risk
plant pests identified as having pathways into the United States. APHIS’ Pest Detection
program personnel will evaluate and analyze additional exotic pests, develop survey
methodology, and develop pest lists, datasheets, and survey manuals in support of the 2021
National Pest Surveillance Guidelines. States will use this guidance to plan surveys in FY 2021,
allowing for the continued documentation of the presence or absence of plant pests and diseases
of Federal regulatory significance in the United States and preserving economic opportunities
for farmers (i.e., interstate commerce and international trade).
