USDA-NIFA making foreign disease detections priority through 2021

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USDA-NIFA making foreign disease detections priority through 2021

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is making foreign disease detection and surveillance one of its priorities through this year.

Director Carrie Castille says the department is coordinating with other agencies to assist the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. “This critical partnership ensures that resources, testing, monitoring and data can be shared, and procedures can be rapidly implemented anywhere in the nation in response to a biological threat to the nation’s food animals,” Castille says.

She says since the network was developed in 2002, there are now 60 laboratories that help surveil 14 highly rated food animal diseases.

Castille says the partnership is part of the department’s Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative that helps with surveillance and education. “Methods for research and development and expertise for education and extension to detect biological threats to the nation’s animal agriculture thus protecting animal health, public health and the nation’s food supply.”

Castille made her comments Thursday at the KC Animal Health Corridor Digital Animal Health Summit.

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