Dear Chairman Harris, Chairman Hoeven, Ranking Member Bishop, and Ranking Member
Shaheen:
The undersigned research institutions, scientific societies, and agricultural stakeholders
respectfully request $400 million for animal health and $390 million for plant health
programs at U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
We also support funding for a fully staffed and operational National Bio and Agro-Defense
Facility (NBAF), which is jointly used by APHIS and Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
scientists, $45 million for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), and
flat, stable funding for Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) and Veterinary Services
(VS).
APHIS protects the health, welfare, and value of American agriculture and natural
resources through its many program areas. Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) is
APHIS’s largest program area, with major facilities in Maryland and North Carolina and
local field offices at ports and borders and throughout the country. This program, funded
through Animal and Plant Health lines, protects agriculture and natural resources from
invasive weeds, insects, and pathogens, provides plant health inspection certifications,
manages quarantines, determines which plants and plant product imports pose high risks,
and facilitates safe trade. In short, PPQ scientists and technicians are our Farmland
Security.
