1. Vesicular Stomatitis Identified at 4 New Mexico Equine Facilities
EDCC Health Watach
TheHorse.com
June 16, 2026
According to the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, four new vesicular stomatitis (VSV)-positive equine premises have been identified in Valencia County, New Mexico.
Since October 2025, VSV has been identified at 15 equine premises in Arizona, one equine premises in Colorado, and seven equine premises in New Mexico. All confirmed cases have been vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus (VSNJV) serotype.
The last outbreak of VSV in the U.S. occurred from May 2023 through January 2024, affecting 319 premises across California, Nevada, and Texas. VSV circulates annually between livestock and insect vectors in southern Mexico and only occasionally results in incursion to the U.S.
Full text: https://thehorse.com/1145410/vesicular-stomatitis-identified-at-4-new-mexico-equine-facilities/
2. USDA seeks nominees for the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board
Applications are due July 24 for three-year terms starting in February. Producers and importers must be nominated by certified organizations.
USDA
Beef Magazine
June 16, 2026
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominees for the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board to succeed 25 members with 3-year terms that expire in February 2027 who represent the following states and units:
Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas.
Southwest Unit: California and Nevada.
Importer Unit.
The deadline for nominations is July 24, 2026. Individuals appointed to the board will serve three-year terms beginning in February 2027.
New Requirements Restrict the Movement of Livestock and Pets from Impacted Areas to Prevent Spread of New World Screwworm and Protect the New York Agricultural Industry
NY State Dept. of Agriculture
June 16, 2026
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) today announced it has implemented new import requirements for all domestic animals coming into New York State to prevent the spread of the New World Screwworm (NWS), following detections in Texas and New Mexico. AGM is restricting the movement of livestock and pets from impacted areas or suspected impacted areas to protect animal health and the agricultural industry in New York State. There have been no cases of NWS detected in New York.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, "New World Screwworm is serious and potentially fatal for livestock and pets, so we need to move quickly to ensure that New York is being proactive against this new threat to our agricultural industry and our companion animals. While New York State has no cases of New World Screwworm, these new requirements will help ensure we prevent its spread to New York from impacted areas. We also want to remind our producers that they should also watch for signs of illness in their animals and take preventative measures, such as tightening biosecurity on the farm and implementing on-farm conservation practices. Taking these extra steps now are critical to protecting animal health."
New York's importation order also outlines requirements for additional veterinary testing, certification of good health, and preventative treatment of animals from impacted areas. Specifically, it requires that no domestic animal originating from an infested area enters the state until the area is declared free of the NWS, and that the animal has been examined by an accredited veterinarian and found free of the infestation. The order issued by AGM can be found here:
https://agriculture.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/06/newworldscrewworm_notice.pdf
Tennessee imposes new animal travel rules to keep out New World screwworm [edited]
By Jordan Green
Memphis Commercial Appeal
June 17, 2026
In response to the detection of the parasite in the United States, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture released new requirements for animals being transported into the state, both from an infested zone and outside an infested zone.
Animals imported to Tennessee from outside an infested zone but within an infested state or high-risk county must have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI). This certificate must confirm that all listed animals are free of New World Screwworm (NWS) and include the statement: "All animals listed on the CVI have been inspected and are free from screwworm larvae infestation." The CVI is valid for 7 days from the inspection date.
Animals imported to Tennessee from an infested zone must be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) from an authorized representative, stating that all animals have received effective treatment for New World Screwworms (NWS) and are free from screwworm larvae infestation. The CVI is valid for 7 days from the inspection date and must include:
Documentation of effective treatment with details on the treatment method, date, administration route, medication, and the representative's signature.
Prior permission and entry permit number from the Tennessee State Veterinarian's Office, obtained at least 48 hours before entry.
Treatments must be administered by or overseen by an authorized representative.
Oral or injected treatments must be administered 12 hours to 14 days prior to entry, while topical treatments should be applied 72 hours to 14 days prior.
All animals must be free of wounds.
Shipments containing any animal suspected of having NWS or wounds will be denied entry until proper examination, testing, treatment, and healing are confirmed.
The state has also included exceptions to the new rules for dairy cattle, poultry, and swine, along with information for animals intended for slaughter.
[See: https://www.tn.gov/agriculture/animals/animal-health-resources/alerts.html
4. USDA Invests in Projects to Strengthen New World Screwworm Preparedness and Response
APHIS Stakeholder Registry
June 16, 2026
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing funding for 40 breakthrough projects to bolster the nation's defenses against New World screwworm (NWS). These innovative proposals, which will receive a combined total of about $105 million, promise to sharpen detection, accelerate control and eradication tools, and strengthen rapid-response capabilities.
USDA launched the NWS Grand Challenge on January 21, 2026, marking the next milestone for Secretary Rollins' five-pronged plan to support producers' success, protect the nation's food supply, and build long-term resilience against NWS. The Grand Challenge called on innovators from federal and non-federal entities to help in the efforts to prevent the spread of NWS by developing high-impact projects to enhance detection, control, and eradication readiness.
"We launched the Grand Challenge expecting bold, innovative, and science-backed ideas to fight New World screwworm, and the proposals delivered just that," said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. "These projects represent the creativity, scientific rigor, and determination we need to reinforce our existing efforts, empower our producers, and safeguard American agriculture and our food supply. We have beaten this pest before, and by leveraging innovative solutions and advancements in technology we will beat it again in record time."
USDA reviewed 226 applications, requesting about $664 million in total funding. Projects were selected based on their innovative approaches, scientific gold standards, and their potential to make a significant impact on the prevention and response to NWS.
In addition to the 40 projects announced today, work has already started on two additional USDA-funded projects that are a part of the Grand Challenge. Texas A&M AgriLife Research is assessing the feasibility, efficacy, and operational readiness of electron beam (eBeam) technology as a non-radioactive alternative to cobalt-60 gamma irradiation for sterilizing NWS pupae in sterile insect technique programs, and the University of Florida is evaluating two U.S.-made X-ray irradiators for sterilizing NWS pupae using secondary screwworm as a surrogate.
The Grand Challenge focuses on four core priorities:
Enhance sterile NWS fly production to improve program efficiency and capacity.
Develop novel NWS traps and lures to modernize detection and early warning systems.
Advance NWS therapeutics and treatments to reduce animal health impacts and strengthen response capability.
Develop tools that bolster preparedness and response, including repellents, ecological modeling, wildlife surveillance, or other innovative approaches.
Using a rigorous, competitive review process, a team of USDA, state, and industry experts evaluated the merits of the proposals and how well they supported the core priorities. USDA will work closely with these awardees to develop work and financial plans that ensure these projects meet these important priorities and protect critical taxpayer resources.
NWS is a serious pest that affects livestock, pets, wildlife, and, less commonly, people and birds. USDA's ongoing efforts to fight NWS include sterile fly production, surveillance, and cross-border collaboration. The Grand Challenge complements these efforts by fast-tracking next-generation technologies and research that strengthen U.S. preparedness and response capabilities.
For more information about NWS visit screwworm.gov.
5. USDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs Announces Targeted Organizational Improvements and Leadership Changes to Strengthen Service Delivery [edited]
USDA
June 17, 2026
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
In addition to the MRP changes, USDA is announcing the appointment of Kelly Moore as APHIS Administrator. This appointment provides consistent, stable leadership as targeted improvements move forward.
"Administrator Moore's appointment provides APHIS with strong and steady leadership," said Under Secretary Hoskins. "Her commitment to service, accountability, and partnership will help ensure APHIS continues delivering exceptional support to U.S. agriculture."
Simultaneously, APHIS is implementing targeted changes to its Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program to strengthen national plant health leadership and unify policy and operational functions, enabling faster, more consistent responses to plant health issues and emerging threats. All PPQ programs will continue without interruption and with no reduction in force nor movement of staff.
No animal or plant health programs, including personnel, are impacted by these additional announcements.
6. Nebraska's programs to recruit rural veterinarians are off to a slow start
By Theodore Ball, News Intern
Nebraska Public Media
June 12, 2026
Nebraska launched a program aimed at attracting veterinarians to rural, production-animal practices more than a year ago.
So far, only two of the 13 available grants have been awarded.
Nationally, the number of food animal veterinarians has dropped 90% since World War II, according to a 2023 report by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future. This has left less than 2% of veterinarians today working exclusively with food animals.
In Nebraska, a 2024 survey by the Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association, which drew 205 responses, found that a significant share of practices in the state reported needing additional veterinarians - particularly for livestock - and many respondents said they expect to retire within the next five to 10 years.
Nebraska has two programs aimed at addressing that gap. A state grant aims to attract veterinarians across the nation who are willing to practice in Nebraska's rural areas, and a University of Nebraska-Lincoln scholarship pipeline aims to recruit incoming freshman.