American Sheep Industry Association, Ben Lehfeldt, President: "Funding the Animal Health Protection Act is vital to protecting the U.S. sheep flock from the threat of foot-and-mouth disease. Investing in the programs funded by the Act, such as the national vaccine bank and animal disease preparedness planning, are critical for preventing FMD from entering the U.S. and minimizing the impacts on the U.S. sheep industry should an FMD outbreak were to happen."

American Veterinary Medical Association, Dr. Sandra Faeh, President: "Enhancing the nation's animal health infrastructure is vital for improving our ability to prevent, prepare for, and respond to foreign animal diseases. The proposed legislation would direct critical resources to the National Animal Health Laboratory Network and other key federal programs that play a crucial role in safeguarding food security and public health by enabling swift action against serious animal disease outbreaks. The AVMA fully supports this bill and urges Congress to pass the bipartisan Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act of 2025 to ensure these essential protections are in place."

Livestock Marketing Association, Chelsea Good, Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs and Legal: “We appreciate Rep. Jackson being a champion for animal disease preparedness and response programs. We work with hundreds of livestock producers each week whose livelihoods could be put at risk by a disease emergency. This bill would provide critical funds for important work done through the vaccine bank, laboratories, and programs focused on planning for animal disease emergencies.”  

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, Ted McKinney, CEO: “As the first line of defense in responding to animal disease outbreaks, state agriculture departments know too well how foreign animal diseases can have long-lasting ramifications for the economy and potentially crippling effects on U.S. livestock and poultry production. NASDA supports reinvesting in critical animal disease preparedness programs through the Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act of 2025 to help ensure farmers, ranchers, state and federal entities, and industry stakeholders have tools available to mitigate and respond to current animal disease threats and prevent new diseases from crossing our borders. With the ongoing outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, the ever-present threats of African swine fever and foot and mouth disease, and the emerging concern of the New World screwworm, now is the time to appropriately invest in resources that protect our farmers and food system.”

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Buck Wehrbein, President: “One of the great threats facing the cattle business is the potential of a foreign animal disease outbreak. If foot-and-mouth disease, or another foreign animal disease outbreak were to occur in the United States, cattle producers would see their businesses shut down and their livelihoods devastated. We cannot let that happen, which is why NCBA supports funding for a vaccine bank, laboratory network, and disease prevention grants that help ensure American agriculture is protected from the threat posed by foreign animal disease.”

National Milk Producers Federation, Gregg Doud, President and CEO: “We commend Representatives Ronny Jackson, R-TX, Don Davis, D-NC, Don Bacon, R-NE, and Jim Costa, D-CA, for their bipartisan Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act of 2025. This bill provides essential long-term funding for important animal health programs that help to prevent, control, and eradicate animal diseases. Last year’s H5N1 outbreak underscores the importance of the work these programs do.”

National Pork Producers Council, Duane Stateler, President: “On behalf of America’s 60,000+ pork producers, we thank Reps. Jackson, Bacon, Davis, and Costa for championing these bipartisan animal health safeguards. As foreign animal diseases continue to pose serious risks to producers – and the entire food supply chain – this legislation is key to maintaining pork’s safety, security, and affordability.”'

National Turkey Federation, Leslee Oden, President and CEO: “Animal health and disease response are essential to all facets of the agriculture community. As highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) continue to affect the turkey industry, now more than ever, Congress must act to protect the tools and funding necessary to bolster the United States' response to animal disease. The National Turkey Federation urges Congress to act swiftly in passing this legislation to protect the poultry industry’s ability to produce healthy turkeys and provide wholesome, nutritious turkey products to consumers everywhere.”

Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Robby Kirkland, Chairman: “Increased investments to enhance disease surveillance, secure beef supply plans for cattle feeders, and expansion of the vaccine bank for foreign animal diseases will significantly increase resiliency of the U.S. cattle and beef production supply chain. TCFA supports the Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act and we appreciate Senator Cornyn’s and Representative Jackson’s leadership to advance this bipartisan legislation.”

Texas Farm Bureau, Russell Boening, President: “Investing in animal health programs to prevent foreign animal diseases (FAD), such as the New World screwworm (NWS), foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), and African swine fever (ASF), is of critical importance. Increased international movements of livestock and humans pose a greater risk than ever before of introducing or spreading animal diseases, and with detections of the NWS just 700 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border, the need for this legislation is more dire than ever. We applaud Congressman Ronny Jackson for leading this effort to provide tools and strategies to combat FADs, and we look forward to working with them to pass the Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act.”

Comprehensive list of stakeholders supporting:

American Sheep Industry Association; American Veterinary Medical Association; Livestock Marketing Association; National Association of State Departments of Agriculture; National Cattlemen’s Beef Association; National Milk Producers Federation; National Pork Producers Council; National Turkey Federation; Texas Cattle Feeders Association; Texas Farm Bureau

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