AVMA celebrates farm bill’s signing, inclusion of animal health programs

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The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) released the following statement in response to President Trump signing the farm bill into law. The bill funds and authorizes several programs important to animal health, including a proactive, three-pronged approach to animal disease. This approach consists of a new National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, enhanced resources for the existing National Animal Health Laboratory Network, and a new national livestock vaccine bank with immediate attention to foot-and-mouth disease.

Today, we're celebrating a victory for veterinary medicine and animal agriculture. The new animal health programs in the farm bill will play a critical role in protecting animal health and helping veterinarians prevent widespread animal disease outbreaks for years to come. We're looking forward to working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and others involved to help maximize their effectiveness against the most pressing animal disease threats. We're also happy the legislation funds important animal health research initiatives.

We're thankful to the many lawmakers who have championed these priorities throughout the farm bill process, and grateful to President Trump for quickly signing the bill. Together, these programs will provide vital improvements to our national animal disease response capabilities and help protect the livelihoods of ranchers and farmers. This bill is great news for everyone who cares about animal agriculture.

About the AVMA

The AVMA is the nation's leading representative of the veterinary profession, speaking for more than 105,000 member veterinarians across the United States who care passionately about protecting animal health, animal welfare and human health. Informed by its members' unique scientific training and knowledge, the AVMA advocates for policies that advance the practice of veterinary medicine and support the crucial work of veterinarians nationwide.