1. Register Today! Bird Biosecurity Webinar September 29
APHIS Stakeholder Registry
September 21, 2026
Featuring experts from USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS):
Satarah Jackson, DVM, Veterinary Medical Officer, Veterinary Services
David Marks, Assistant State Director, Wildlife Services
[Or: https://tinyurl.com/2yl99w4v ]
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a serious threat to poultry health-and strong biosecurity is your best defense.
Join USDA APHIS experts on September 29 at 2:00 PM ET for an informative webinar on:
The latest biosecurity best practices
Free biosecurity resources for poultry farms of all sizes
Biosecurity assessments for farms with 500+ birds-including how to get paid to fix the highest-risk issues!
Don't miss this opportunity to stay informed and protect what matters most.
2. Proactive ways to defend against New World screwworm
Four practical prevention steps can help protect cattle and limit potential spread of pest.
Beef Magazine
September 22, 2026
New World screwworm (NWS) may seem like a concern only for areas where the pest has already been detected. But with today's cattle movement, preparedness is critical, regardless of location.
U.S. cattle producers have an important role in slowing the spread of NWS and protecting their operation. Building a proactive preparedness plan can help strengthen biosecurity, reduce risk and support animal health. Consider these four steps when preparing your operation:
* Know the risk
* Prioritize biosecurity
* Evaluate your deworming program
* Stay vigilant; don't panic
3. Kennett Square's Penn Vet Swine Center Celebrates 25 Years of Animal Welfare Innovation
By Leah Mikulich
Vista Today
September 21, 2026
When Penn Vet opened its Swine Teaching and Research Center at New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, few could have predicted how far its influence would reach.
Twenty-five years later, the center has helped reshape how Pennsylvania raises pigs and steered many students toward their careers, writes Rita Giordano for Penn Vet.
Founder Thomas D. Parsons envisioned a working farm that doubled as a classroom, a place where students could get their hands dirty while researchers tested new ideas about animal care and production.
That approach helped advance open-pen housing and electronic feeding systems for gestating sows.
"This has exceeded my wildest dreams," said Parsons. "We really had no idea. It's opened so many doors. It's just been a really amazing opportunity."
The results show up on farms across the state.
About 80 percent of Pennsylvania sows now live in open pens rather than confined gestation crates, according to Chris Herr, executive vice president of the PennAg Industries Association, who credits the shift to the center's influence.
Full text: https://vista.today/2026/09/penn-vet-swine-center-25-years/
4. EIA Case Confirmed in Perth East County, Ontario
EDCC Health Watch
TheHorse.com
September 22, 2026
On Sept. 17, one horse in Perth East County, Ontario, tested positive for equine infectious anemia (EIA), according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The horse had been tested at the owner's request to fulfill a United States export requirement. It was not displaying clinical signs at the time of sampling.
A CFIA investigation is underway. Movement controls have been placed on the infected horse and any on-premises contact animals. Initial reports indicate there are other equines on the affected premises.
Full text: https://thehorse.com/1147263/eia-case-confirmed-in-perth-east-county-ontario/
5. Senate Farm Bill Moves Closer to Final Approval [edited]
By Farms.com
September 22, 2026
New legislation advances with support for animal health, exports, conservation, and farm programs
The United States Senate is moving forward with a new farm bill after the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry approved the legislation and advanced it for consideration by the full Senate. The development marks an important step in shaping agricultural, conservation, nutrition, and forestry policies that guide the country's farming sector says NPPC.
The proposed legislation includes a wide range of measures designed to strengthen agriculture and improve long-term food security. Among the key provisions is the expansion of programs focused on animal health and disease management. The bill would make the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Program a permanent initiative. This program helps address the challenges caused by wild hog populations, which can damage crops, spread disease, and create environmental concerns.
Another major proposal involves increasing funding for agricultural export promotion programs. The legislation would more than double support for initiatives that help U.S. agricultural products reach international markets. By expanding export opportunities, policymakers aim to improve market access for farmers and strengthen the competitiveness of American agriculture around the world.
Full text: https://www.farms.com/ag-industry-news/senate-farm-bill-moves-closer-to-final-approval-270.aspx
6. Alveo Technologies and Royal GD Expand Partnership to Advance Point of Need Molecular Diagnostics to Additional Livestock Species & Expanded Poultry Offerings
PRNewswire
September 22, 2026
ALAMEDA, Calif., Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Alveo Technologies, Inc., a leader in portable molecular sensing solutions, today announced an expanded partnership with Royal GD, one of the world's leading veterinary diagnostic companies. The agreement builds on three years of collaboration between the two companies and 18 months of commercial deployment of their jointly developed, on-farm avian influenza test. Under the expanded agreement, Royal GD will commit new R&D resources to expedite the development of molecular tests on the Alveo platform to detect additional pathogens in swine and cattle, and to further expand its poultry portfolio.
The expanded partnership marks the next step in making rapid molecular diagnostics more accessible to livestock producers and veterinarians. In addition to avian influenza testing, new applications for respiratory diseases and other pathogens across multiple animal species are being developed, enabling earlier detection, faster decision-making, and more effective disease prevention and control. In parallel, Alveo is expanding its global distributor network to provide customers with local expertise, faster support, and easier access to the Alveo Sense™ platform.
"Rapid and reliable diagnostics are essential in the fight against avian influenza," said Gerhard de Ruiter, managing director at Royal GD. "With Alveo Sense™, we bring laboratory-quality molecular testing directly to the poultry house, enabling earlier detection and faster decision-making. As a leading animal health organization, Royal GD is committed to supporting disease surveillance, outbreak management, and flock health. This innovation strengthens our ability to deliver on that mission, both nationally and internationally."