Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee backs bill letting ag commissioner serve as official state agency for US Swine Health Improvement Plan
Summary
The Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee voted to give the agriculture commissioner authority to serve as the official state agency for the United States Swine Health Improvement Plan (US SHIP), a private, industry-driven program to prepare for foreign animal disease incursions affecting swine.
The Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee gave Senate Bill 2085 a favorable recommendation after hearing testimony that the measure would allow the agriculture commissioner to serve as the official state agency for the United States Swine Health Improvement Plan.
State Veterinarian Dr. Ethan Andress told the committee that "US SHIP is modeled after the National Poultry Improvement Plan" and described the program as an industry-driven, federally funded private entity that coordinates with state animal health officials and industry leaders to prepare for African swine fever or classical swine fever.
The bill authorizes the Agriculture Commissioner to serve as the official state agency (OSA) for participating in US SHIP. Dr. Andress said North Dakota livestock industry representatives, including the North Dakota Pork Council, have requested the commissioner serve as OSA in a manner similar to the National Poultry Improvement Plan.
Committee members asked about the current presence of swine influenza and the broader animal-disease landscape. Dr. Andress replied that swine influenza is present in the U.S. "all the time" and that commercial producers often use autogenous vaccines tailored for specific farms. He also detailed the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry nationwide, noting more than 2,000,000 birds depopulated nationally this fall and that the disease has reduced milk production and caused secondary illness in affected dairy herds. He said North Dakota experienced one commercial poultry facility depopulation and three affected backyard flocks; producers must wait 120 days before returning to production after depopulation.
After testimony, a committee member moved a "do pass" recommendation for SB 2085; the clerk conducted a roll call and the motion passed.
The bill does not itself create new disease-response authority beyond designating the OSA, according to testimony; Dr. Andress framed the measure as clarifying North Dakota's participation in a national, industry-led preparedness program.
Votes at a glance: the committee recorded a do-pass recommendation on Senate Bill 2085 during the hearing.
