Board of Animal Health urges pay boosts, details dairy testing and vulture biosecurity

Doctor Watson, representing the Board of Animal Health, told the Appropriations Committee that the agency has expanded dairy milk testing since last November after avian influenza spilled into cattle and that the state remains recognized by USDA as free of active herd infection. "So every dairy every week during November through March," he said, explaining the surveillance cadence.

He said the primary risk is spillback to commercial poultry, not food‑safety: "the reason for that is not because it's a food safety hazard because pasteurization kills the virus," Watson said, adding that infected cows can seed infections in poultry operations. Watson also reported vultures tested positive for bird flu at the Byram landfill and described vultures as a significant transmission risk.

The agency described coordinated prevention steps: Watson said NRCS agreed to add vulture‑proofing (wiring and structural protections around composter sheds) to cost‑share programs so new poultry farms include protections; he also described USDA on‑farm assessments that can provide up to $25,000 in cost share for fixable biosecurity problems.

On budget needs, Watson said the board asked the committee to reverse a Legislative Budget Office recommendation that trimmed last year's request and to restore funding aimed at salary competitiveness and staffing. He explained that retention has been the agency's largest problem: "Our poultry folks, we've had a position empty for over a year," Watson said, and that livestock inspectors and veterinarians are difficult to recruit at current pay scales.

Watson presented a breakdown that shows a requested $241,005.93 general fund increase for FY27 categories including salaries, equipment and contractuals, and warned cooperative agreement dollars from USDA have declined, increasing state reliance on appropriations. He praised the committee's prior emergency authority as critical during recent outbreaks and said that access to emergency funds outside session had been a "lifesaver."

Committee members asked for clarification on salary lines, contractuals and preparedness. Watson said screw worm (New World screwworm) resurgence from southern neighbors is a higher‑consequence threat requiring quarantine zones and possible temporary sale‑barn closures; he described training and planning under way with USDA and extension to prepare for such an event.

The presentation closed after members thanked Watson and asked for copies of his materials and cost breakdowns. No formal action or vote was taken during the hearing.