Beagle Brigade Act passes House Ag Committee

MAY 14, 2023:

On Thursday (May 11, 2023) the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to markup the Beagle Brigade Act (H.R. 1480). No amendments were offered, and the bill was favorably reported to the House.

During the markup, Chair GT Thompson (R-PA), Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA) and Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC) praised the work of the Beagle Brigade, described the bill, and urged their colleagues to support it.

Currently, the bill has 18 bipartisan cosponsors, representing a 125% increase in cosponsors over the last Congress.

Why is this important: Safe and reliable food production is critical to the national and economic security of the United States. The “Beagle Brigade” serves as the first line of defense for early detection at the nation’s ports of entry and is critical in keeping foreign animal diseases (FAD), like African swine fever, out of the United States. Located in Newnan, Georgia, the National Detector Dog Training Center is a vital program in training and deploying agricultural canine teams nationwide.

NPPC’s take: NPPC led over 50 agricultural and other organizations in supporting the Beagle Brigade Act’s reintroduction. The unanimous passage in the House Agriculture Committee is a critical step in advancing the bill to the floor. NPPC urges Congress to pass the bipartisan bill quickly and thanks the Ag Committee leadership, the bill sponsors and cosponsors for recognizing the importance of this program.

Learn more about NPPC’s advocacy efforts for science-based approaches to swine health and production, and FAD preventative and preparedness efforts here.

MARCH 11, 2023:

The National Pork Producers Council applauds the reintroduction of the Beagle Brigade Act of 2023. This legislation would provide congressional authority to the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Detector Dog Training Center — a vital program in training agricultural canine teams that work daily to prevent foreign animal and plant diseases from entering the United States.

“Safe and reliable food production is critical to the United States’ continued national and economic security,” said Terry Wolters, NPPC president and owner of Stoney Creek Farms in Pipestone, Minnesota. “As African swine fever continues to plague the Dominican Republic and Haiti, strengthening early detection capabilities at our U.S. borders is more important than ever.”

The “Beagle Brigade” serves as the first line of defense for early detection at the nation’s ports of entry and is critical in keeping foreign animal diseases, like African swine fever, out of the United States. NPPC led over 50 agricultural and other organizations in supporting the Beagle Brigade Act’s reintroduction and urges Congress to pass this bipartisan bill.

“We urge Congress to act fast and we thank Representatives Sandford Bishop (D-GA) and Drew Ferguson (R-GA) in the House and Senators Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) in the Senate for their bipartisan efforts,” said Wolters.

Beagle Brigade Act passes House Ag Committee

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