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Livestock Board warns of animal-health gaps after APHIS cuts; EID tag debate continues
Summary
Wyoming Livestock Board leaders told the Joint Appropriations Committee that USDA APHIS staffing losses left state veterinarians stretched thin, reducing outreach and response capacity; lawmakers pressed the board on EID-tag MOUs, brucellosis rules and exception requests for IT funding.
The Wyoming Livestock Board told the Joint Appropriations Committee that state animal-health capacity has tightened after a reorganization at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
"There are no veterinarians now from APHIS that help us cover the state of Wyoming," Dr. Hazel, the state veterinarian, said, describing the loss of APHIS veterinarians and other animal-health staff and the effect on routine outreach, market visits and response time for emerging diseases. Director Steve True said the agency now relies on three state veterinarians to cover statewide responsibilities and faces staff burnout and reduced educational outreach to producers.
The board’s witnesses described several disease threats that require readiness — avian influenza, equine herpes and the newly discussed threat of new-world screwworm. Dr. Hazel said Wyoming participates in multi-state response planning for screwworms and that response…
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