1. Officials say Arkansas' largest bird flu outbreak of the year reported in Clay County
191,200 birds were part of the affected flock at the Clay County farm, and the diagnoses was confirmed on April 10.\
By Spencer Bailey
5newsonline.com
April 16, 2026
CLAY COUNTY, Arkansas - The Arkansas Department of Agriculture (ADA) has confirmed an avian influenza outbreak at a farm in Clay County that is affecting thousands of birds.
According to officials, 191,200 birds were part of the affected flock at the Clay County farm, and the diagnosis was confirmed on April 10.
ADA said that the farm was placed under quarantine and containment measures were underway. While officials didn't say what happened to the affected commercial poultry flock, its website said depopulation is "the only effective control method."
"Poultry growers in the region are urged to stay alert for signs of [Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI] and continue following strict biosecurity practices to protect their flocks," ADA said.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) dashboard said this is the largest outbreak in Arkansas this year.
USDA said over 1.5 million birds have been affected by bird flu in the past 30 days, and that spring is a peak season as migrations take place.
2. New Jersey Warmblood Confirmed Positive for EHM
EDCC Health Watch
TheHorse.com
April 16, 2026
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture has quarantined a property in Burlington County after one horse developed equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM) secondary to equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1).
The 17-year-old warmblood gelding developed acute clinical signs on April 1 and is currently hospitalized. The twenty-six remaining horses on the premises are under quarantine.
No recent horse movement has occurred in this herd, making the risk of disease spread from this case very low. There are no known connections between this EHM case and the first Burlington County case in January 2026.
Full text: https://thehorse.com/1143916/new-jersey-warmblood-confirmed-positive-for-ehm/
3. Keystone Animal Diagnostic Center Opens at Penn State's Beaver Campus [PA]
PennWatch.org
April 16, 2027
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Penn State University's College of Agricultural Sciences Dean Dr. Troy Ott marked a milestone for Pennsylvania farmers, cutting the ribbon to open the Keystone Animal Diagnostic Center at Penn State University's Beaver Campus.
Funded by a $6 million investment from the state, the lab expands Pennsylvania's capacity to respond to animal disease outbreaks, speeding diagnoses for farmers in the western part of the state, lowering their business costs, and helping protect their animals and investments.
"This is a historic moment for Pennsylvania agriculture," Secretary Redding said. "Adding a fourth vet lab on a campus that is part of our top-notch Land Grant University continues that tradition of excellence, strengthens our crisis response capacity and supports current regional growth in animal agriculture."
The new lab is the first to join the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System since the Commonwealth established the partnership in 1991 to more effectively protect human and animal health across the state and region. It joins the system's three cutting-edge labs - the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory in Harrisburg, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences' Animal Diagnostic Laboratory in University Park, and the New Bolton Center at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in Kennett Square - all members of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network.
Full text: https://pennwatch.org/keystone-animal-diagnostic-center-opens-at-penn-states-beaver-campus/
4. USDA moving to new equine import model health certificate
FMD pre-export cleaning and decontamination requirement removed, and AHS mitigations added.
USDA-APHIS
Feedstuffs
April 15, 2026
From now through June 14, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service will be transitioning to a new, comprehensive equine import model health certificate. The new certificate incorporates all information, data and health attestations required for importing eligible equines into the U.S. and streamlines and reduces existing import documentation requirements.
Key points. In the new certificate, USDA has removed the requirement for pre-export foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) cleaning and decontamination - FMD mitigations will now only be conducted by USDA at the U.S. port of entry - and added pre-export African horse sickness (AHS) mitigations to enhance protections against introduction of AHS into the U.S.
The new certificate also implements the remaining provisions of an equine import rule published in 2023, namely:
Certification that the equine has not been gelded within the 14 days prior to export to the U.S. (if applicable).
Revision of the contagious equine metritis regulations to clarify that the prohibition on breeding includes both live and artificial and to ensure accurate information regarding the whereabouts of competition horses during temporary import or export.
Addition of new requirements to ensure health and safety of horses prior to transport.
5. Oklahoma veterinary rescue team helps ranchers and animals impacted by severe storms
Oklahoma's Large Animal First Responders provide critical aid, from on-site rescues to veterinary care, in the wake of severe weather.
By Kylee Dedmon
News9.com
April 14, 2026
Oklahoma's severe weather can leave a path of destruction for ranchers when it comes to their land and livestock, but a specialized rescue team is helping livestock, such as horses and cattle, recover after storms.
The Oklahoma Large Animal First Responders formed after a tornado struck Moore in 2013, and recently, have been working to help ranchers in the Seminole area after an EF-1 tornado swept through the area earlier this month.
President of the Oklahoma Large Animal First Responders, Dr. Clayton McCook, said when it comes to severe weather, everybody needs to plan and practice that plan.
"We need to think about these things way before they happen," McCook said. "The time to plan for an evacuation is not at the moment when there is a tornado coming or there is a flood; you need to think about all the small details."
Preparations can include checking if there is enough fuel in a trailer to move your animals, if the tires in good condition or if there is enough hay and water needed to transport the animals.
6. Secretary Rollins Announces the Creation of the USDA Office of Seafood
USDA Office of Communications Bulletin
April 15, 2026
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins alongside U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan, and Maine Senator Susan Collins announced the creation of the new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Seafood. This first of its kind office will prioritize customer service and ease of navigation for American seafood cultivators, producers, and processors to access USDA programs.
"President Trump is the first President to recognize fisherman for the essential work they do to sustain our food supply," said Secretary Rollins. "With the launch of the USDA Office of Seafood, we are honoring decades of hard work on the water and opening the door to new opportunities, stronger support, and a brighter future for the seafood industry. Today's announcement, in addition to the historic tax cuts and investments in rural America made possible through the priorities and provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts, is truly a new chapter for America's fishermen."
"The Department of the Interior is thrilled to support the establishment of the first-ever Seafood Office at the Department of Agriculture - an initiative that puts the people who help feed America first," said Secretary Burgum. "American fishermen are the backbone of coastal economies and a vital part of our nation's food security. By improving coordination across agencies, the Seafood Office will ensure these fishermen can fully access the tools and programs they need to thrive."
Full text: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAOC/bulletins/4131dc0
7. Global Expansion of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Serotype SAT1 Raises Alarms
New reports highlight the concerning transboundary spread of a new serotype that evades current vaccines and increases the risk of introduction to the U.S.
By Jennifer Shike
PorkBusiness.com
April 15, 2026
Recent reports of the emergence and spread of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) SAT1 serotype are highlighting a concerning shift in the global landscape of this virus. The Swine Health Information Center-funded Global Swine Disease Monitoring Reports, led by Dr. Sol Perez at the University of Minnesota, have highlighted the newly affected countries in monthly publications.
"For FMDV, immunity is serotype-specific, meaning infection or vaccination against a given serotype does not confer protection against a different serotype," Perez says in a SHIC article.
A Rapid Geographic Shift
Historically, SAT1 was maintained within endemic locations in East and Southern Africa. However, in 2025, SAT1 demonstrated a "concerning expansion" beyond its traditional geographic range, with confirmed detections of two cocirculating subtypes across Western Asia and North Africa. The increasing circulation of SAT1 poses a growing risk to previously unaffected regions, including southeast Europe and potentially beyond. As this serotype expands its geographic range, it creates additional pathways for introduction into new regions and countries, increasing the overall likelihood of transboundary spread, Perez notes.