1. New World screwworm zone established in four West Texas counties
By KTXS Staff
KTXS.com
November 6, 2026
MITCHELL, County - A New World screwworm infested zone was established Nov. 5 after the pest was detected in a bovine in Mitchell County, the Texas Animal Health Commission said.
The zone covers portions of Fisher, Mitchell, Nolan and Scurry counties.
The commission's map also shows an adjacent surveillance zone surrounding the infested area.
Source: https://ktxs.com/news/local/new-world-screwworm-zone-established-in-four-west-texas-counties
2. APHIS funding jump strengthens U.S. FAD response
NADPRP backs projects preparing for diseases like African swine fever and FMD, with $80M in new FY27 grants for state and industry preparedness.
USDA
National Hog Farmer
November 6, 2026
The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has announced major updates to its farm bill animal health programs, including increased annual funding and expanded investments made possible through the 2025 Working Families Tax Cuts Act.
Through the Act, annual funding for APHIS' three Farm Bill animal health programs-the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, the National Animal Health Laboratory Network and the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank-increased from $30 million to $233 million beginning in fiscal year 2026 (FY26). This transformational investment allows APHIS to scale up and modernize its national preparedness efforts and strengthens the nation's ability to prevent, detect and respond to high-consequence animal diseases.
"This historic investment gives us the tools we need to protect farmers' and ranchers' herds, their livelihoods, and the rural communities they sustain," said USDA Under Secretary Dudley Hoskins. "Farm security is national security, and with this increased funding, we are strengthening early disease detection, expanding vaccine and diagnostic stockpiles, and backing practical, on-the-ground projects that help producers prepare for and respond to the most serious animal disease threats. These programs are about keeping animals healthy, protecting producer livelihoods, and keeping American agriculture strong."
Bird flu detected at Pierce County commercial poultry facility [WA]
KOMO News Staff
KOMONews.com
November 5, 2026
PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. - Bird flu has been detected at a commercial poultry facility in Pierce County, the first such detection in Washington this year, state agriculture officials said.
No human cases have been identified at the facility. Public health agencies are monitoring workers who were exposed to infected birds as a precaution. The risk to the general public remains low, officials said.
The affected facility is under quarantine, and disease control measures are underway. Eggs from infected birds will be destroyed and will not enter the food supply.
Bird Flu Wipes Out 1.3 Million Hens at Stanislaus County Egg Ranch [CA]
By Brendan Sandoval
Hoodline.com
November 7, 2026
An HPAI infection at an unnamed Stanislaus County egg ranch resulted in the loss of 1.3 million hens. The case is notable for its scale and comes amid reports of infections in poultry and dairy herds in several states.
The USDA figure was reported by the Hanford Sentinel in a November 6 article, which said the discovery was reported on October 28. The Sentinel described it as California's first commercial-poultry detection of the fall and the state's largest such outbreak in more than a year. The ranch's name has not been made public.
Full text: https://hoodline.com/2026/11/bird-flu-wipes-out-1-3-million-hens-at-stanislaus-county-egg-ranch/
4. Runstadler Lab Investigates SARS-CoV-2 Transmission to Wildlife and Marine Mammals
Tufts Univ. News
November 3, 2026
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19, has been detected in more than 60 animal species-though until now, had not been closely studied in New England wildlife and in marine mammals. The Runstadler Lab at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University conducted two research projects to address these knowledge gaps, notably finding evidence consistent with a possible human-to-deer spillover event and the first serological evidence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in marine mammals in the United States.
The studies were featured in the July 2026 issues of Viruses and PLOS ONE, respectively titled, "SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance in Free-Ranging Wildlife in New England and Virginia, United States, 2022-2025" and "Serological evidence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in marine mammals in the United States between 2020 and 2025."
The concurrent studies were led by Idrissa Nonmon Sanogo, Ph.D., postdoctoral research scholar in comparative virology and zoonotic diseases at Cummings School, in the laboratory of Dr. Jonathan Runstadler, professor and chair of the Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health and Agnes Varis Professor in Science and Society.
The Runstadler Lab studies infectious disease spread with particular focus on influenza in wildlife species. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the two SARS-CoV-2 studies relied on robust collaborations with Tufts Wildlife Clinic and organizations across the country that the lab has established for its wildlife research. Sanogo greatly expanded this network for the SARS-CoV-2 projects.
"Idrissa came to the lab with a background working on influenza that fit perfectly with the project funding to look at SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife," says Runstadler. "He served as project lead for the entire study. He's become an integral part of our group."
Sanogo sent partner organizations-including state fish and wildlife departments, wildlife clinics, animal rehabilitation centers, marine conservation organizations, and aquariums-kits for collecting swab and serum samples and standard operating protocols on collecting the samples. The Runstadler Lab tested the samples for active SARS-CoV-2 infection and serological evidence of previous exposure, sharing the results with the partner organizations.
5. Livingston County Deer Tests Positive for Fatal Disease Not Seen in NY Since 2005
By Robin Yarborough
Hoodline.com
November 7, 2026
A wild deer harvested in the Town of Sparta has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, marking the first occurrence of the always-fatal illness in a New York wild deer since 2005. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation confirmed the detection, which has triggered a mandatory testing requirement across a newly established six-town containment area in Livingston County.
The infected animal was an adult female white-tailed deer, identified through DEC's statewide annual wild deer surveillance program, according to the Star-Gazette. A hunter harvested the deer on Oct. 3, and a regional meat processor collected a tissue sample for testing, per reporting from RochesterFirst. Initial testing indicated a positive result, and confirmatory testing on Nov. 4 verified chronic wasting disease in Livingston County's wild deer population, RochesterFirst reported.
6. State departments of agriculture and state animal health officials push for additional tools to protect dairy cattle against HPAI
Oklahoma Farm Report
November 6, 2026
On Nov. 5, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials met with USDA and delivered a letter to urge the agency to authorize a voluntary national emergency vaccination framework for dairy cattle, as part of an integrated disease control strategy, in response to ongoing Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreaks.
"The dairy industry must have effective tools to combat HPAI," NASDA CEO Ted McKinney said. "Current surveillance strategies like the National Milk Testing Strategy and premovement testing have been critical in early detection, but an integrated disease control strategy must go beyond biosecurity and movement controls and include veterinary countermeasures. That's why we are asking USDA to approve vaccines as an additional tool to help prevent and reduce the spread of HPAI in livestock."
"HPAI continues to loom as a significant threat to animal health, our food supply and commerce," NASAHO President Dr. Alex Hamberg said. "Veterinary and state government leaders need every available tool to protect the agricultural economy in their states and empower their farmers in combating this virus to protect their dairy herds and poultry flocks. We are asking USDA for their support in helping our farmers."
Since the initial spillover of HPAI from wild birds to dairy cattle in 2024, there have been over 1,200 dairy farms with confirmed cases in 20 states. Additionally, at least 17 states have experienced commercial poultry losses due to the spread of HPAI to the poultry from nearby infected dairy cattle. While the U.S. commercial milk supply remains safe for consumers, continued spread of the disease poses threats to supply chains, international market access, consumer confidence, agricultural stability and the economic viability of dairy and poultry farms. At a time when grocery prices are up, the risk of HPAI becoming an endemic disease in the U.S. amplifies concerns about the affordability of dairy, beef, eggs and poultry products.