1. USDA Names New Leadership of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
USDA.gov
January 12, 2026
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced important leadership changes within the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Dr. Michael Watson, APHIS Administrator, will retire at the end of January after decades of distinguished service, and Dr. Rosemary Sifford, Deputy Administrator for Veterinary Services and U.S. Chief Veterinary Officer, has recently retired from federal service after a similarly notable career. Beginning on February 1, 2026, Ms. Kelly Moore will serve as Acting Administrator and effective immediately, Dr. Alan Huddleston will serve as the Acting U.S. Chief Veterinary Officer. Additionally, to ensure continuity during this transition, APHIS Veterinary Services Associate Deputy Administrator Dr. Adis Dijab will continue to provide operational oversight of Veterinary Services. APHIS operations continue uninterrupted, guided by science-based policies, strong stakeholder engagement, and experienced acting leaders to ensure program continuity. APHIS remains steadfast in its mission to protect the health, welfare, and value of our Nation's plants, animals, and natural resources-continuing to deliver solutions and essential services that safeguard U.S. agriculture and support stakeholders nationwide.
"Dr. Watson and Dr. Sifford are dedicated public servants and we greatly appreciate their time at USDA, serving American farmers and ranchers, and protecting the national security of the United States. I am so grateful for their extended service to support the Trump Administration during such a critical time for American agriculture," said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. "The team at APHIS plays a critical role in protecting our food supply from foreign pests like the New World Screwworm, as well as fighting diseases like bird flu. I have the utmost confidence in Ms. Moore, Dr. Huddleston, and Dr. Dijab in continuing this critical mission and defending American agriculture."
"Dr. Watson and Dr. Sifford exemplify the best of public service. Their leadership and commitment to collaboration strengthened APHIS and the nation's animal and plant health systems," said Dudley Hoskins, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. "These are consequential changes at a pivotal moment for the agency, and I am confident that Ms. Moore, Dr. Huddleston, and Dr. Dijab will not only serve as steady hands for program continuity but will lead APHIS into a new era."
2. Mexico's Active Screwworm Cases Down 57% Since Mid-December, Ministry Says
By Reuters, Reporting by Raul Cortes; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle
Successful Farming
January 12, 2026
MEXICO CITY, Jan. 8 (Reuters) - Mexico's active cases of New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite that has kept the U.S.-Mexico border closed to Mexican livestock, have fallen 57% since mid-December, the country's agriculture ministry said on Thursday.
Active cases dropped to 492 as of Jan. 7, from 1,145 registered on Dec. 10, the ministry said, overwhelmingly concentrated in a handful of states.
Construction for a factory to breed sterile flies in Chiapas state is 48% complete and is on track to start operating in the first half of this year, the ministry said, when it will produce some 200 million flies per week.
The flies will be released into the wild, so when sterile males mate with wild females, no offspring are produced and the population collapses over time.
The screwworm outbreak, which has moved northward through Central America and deep into Mexico, has strained relations with the United States, Mexico's biggest trading partner.
The U.S. has kept its border mostly closed to Mexican cattle imports since May.
Two Ohio Horses Test Positive for EHV-1
EDCC Health Watch
TheHorse.com
January 13, 2026
Two horses in Geauga County, Ohio, recently tested positive for equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). The two cases are not epidemiologically linked.
The first horse was a 13-year-old pony mare at a private facility. She tested positive on Jan. 8 after developing neurological signs and was euthanized. Eight horses have been exposed.
The second horse was a 15-year-old Standardbred mare at a boarding facility. She tested positive on Jan. 9 after developing acute neurologic signs and was euthanized. Twenty-eight horses have been exposed.
Full text: https://thehorse.com/1141985/2-ohio-horses-test-positive-for-ehv-1/
Horse in Davidson County tests positive for EHV1/EHM [NC]
Transylvania Times
January 13, 2026
A horse recently imported from Florida to Davidson County has tested positive for Equine Herpes Virus Type 1. Following additional testing and per USDA guidance, the horse meets the case definition for Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy. The epidemiological investigation for this case indicates that it is not related to the ongoing national EHV1/EHM outbreak.
"This horse was assessed by a local veterinarian for being acutely 'down'," said State Veterinarian Mike Martin. "A thorough exam was performed, including a neurological exam, and revealed no other clinical signs. The horse was humanely euthanized and submitted to our Rollins Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Raleigh. Histopathological results showed a non-specific encephalitis, and the horse tested positive for Equine Herpes Virus Type 1 (EHV1) on PCR."
4. Proof-of-Concept Nanoparticle-Based Biosensor for Detecting the African Swine Fever Virus Across Multiple Genotypes Using In Silico and In Vitro Approaches
By Chelsie Boodoo; Evangelyn C. Alocilja
Michigan State Univ.
ACS Omega
January 12, 2026
African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a viral hemorrhagic disease with high lethality in domestic and wild swine, posing a critical threat to global food security and livestock economies. Rapid and accurate detection of ASFV is crucial for effective containment of outbreaks. This study evaluated a gold nanoparticle-based biosensor for the detection of ASFV by targeting the p72 gene using eight oligonucleotide probes. The objective was to identify optimal probes with high sensitivity and specificity, and broad genotypic coverage. Clustal Omega was used to perform multiple sequence alignments between each probe and diverse ASFV genomes. Percentage identity matrices were generated and visualized through heatmaps to assess hybridization strength across genotypes. The biosensor was then tested with synthetic ASFV DNA at a 5 min reaction time, using spectrophotometric analysis to evaluate detection. Sensitivity was measured through serial dilutions of target DNA, and specificity was confirmed using nontarget bacterial DNA. Probes 2 (40 bp, 50.0% GC content) and 5 (60 bp, 54.2% GC content) demonstrated the strongest overall performance, achieving detection of 550 copies with no cross-reactivity and strong binding across multiple ASFV genotypes. Statistical analysis using Spearman's rank correlation demonstrated that GC content was significantly associated with sensitivity (? = -0.80, p = 0.016), while probe length, secondary structure stability, and binding advantage showed no significant relationships. This study underscored the importance of integrating genomic alignment tools with experimental biosensor validation to enhance probe design.
Published by American Chemical Society, October 22, 2025
5. 413,000 Kansas birds impacted by worst bird flu outbreak nationwide in 2026
By: Matthew Self
Fox4KC.com
January 12, 2026
TOPEKA (KSNT) - Kansas is one of the hardest-hit states in the nation by bird flu at the outset of 2026 as poultry operations are placed in quarantine.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports on its website that Kansas is suffering from the nation's largest current outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza as of Jan. 12. In total, over 413,000 birds from commercial and backyard flocks are being impacted by HPAI in 2026.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture reports that HPAI, also known as bird flu, is spread primarily by wild birds migrating across the country such as snow geese and Canada geese. HPAI symptoms in birds include diarrhea, lack of coordination, nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, low energy, reduced egg production and sudden death, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Full text: https://fox4kc.com/news/413000-kansas-birds-impacted-by-worst-bird-flu-outbreak-nationwide-in-2026/
6. Free Animal Care Record-Keeping Books Available to Dairy Farmers and Veterinarians [PA]
The books help PA dairy farms comply with national Farm 5.0 requirements
MorningAgClips.com
January 12, 2026
HARRISBURG, Pa. - As we begin a new year, the Center for Dairy Excellence is once again offering free copies of Animal Care Protocol Record-Keeping Books to Pennsylvania dairy producers and veterinarians. With more than 7,200 books distributed to date, they have been created to help Pennsylvania dairy farm families comply with National FARM requirements associated with record keeping. The latest version of the record-keeping books have been updated to match FARM Version 5.0's standards related to animal care. One book should cover three program years for a smaller-sized herd. To request a free copy of the book, visit www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/request-book or call 717-788-0304.
"With the start of 2026, you may be fine-tuning your protocols and record-keeping systems. It's a great time to request a copy of this record-keeping book for your dairy operation to establish a good system for managing animal care efforts. We continue to keep these record-keeping books updated over time as the National FARM program revises their requirements," said Valerie Mason-Faith, Risk Education Program Manager at the Center for Dairy Excellence.
"Each book should hold three years of FARM records and the books include a family cow care agreement, pages to help producers document standard operating procedures and treatments of their dairy animals, dry cow protocols, and more."