REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) -- The Beagle Brigade Act of 2023 was signed into law by President Biden in late December 2024. The law will fund the National Detector Dog Training Center in Newnan, Georgia, helping keep foreign animal and plant diseases out of the U.S.
The bipartisan legislation will support the training of a specialized group of canine units stationed at airports and ports of entry to prevent the spread of foreign animal and plant diseases. The Beagle Brigade has been protecting American agriculture at ports of entry since 1984. Led by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agricultural specialists, the dogs help detect harmful plants, pests and foreign animal diseases in luggage, carry-ons and cargo from other countries.
"Pork producers employ a variety of biosecurity measures to keep foreign animal diseases, like African Swine Fever, out of our herds. Further away at our nation's ports of entry, the Beagle Brigade helps ensure these diseases don't travel past our borders," said Lori Stevermer, NPPC president and pork producer from Easton, Minnesota, in a news release.
The law will help protect the agriculture industry from foreign animal diseases such as foot and mouth disease, African Swine Fever, or virulent Newcastle Disease, and plant diseases such as tomato brown rugose fruit virus, maize lethal necrosis, or citrus greening disease. The introduction of any of these diseases would have a devastating impact on U.S. agriculture. The act also requires the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the Department of Agriculture to report to Congress on current and emerging threats to domestic agricultural and natural resources from foreign pests and diseases, as well as provide recommendations for improving the center's capabilities and procedures.
"As pork producers, we are grateful the Beagle Brigade Act will continue to keep our food supply safe and more secure for everyone. We thank Senators Warnock and Ernst and Congressmen Bishop and Ferguson for their leadership on this legislation," Stevermer said.
Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com
Follow her on social platform X @JennCattleGal.
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