USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

For more than 50 years, USDA APHIS has worked to protect the health and value of America’s agriculture and natural resources—critical pillars of our economy and daily lives. The 2024 APHIS Impact Report highlights how our work supports: 🐄Healthy livestock and poultry 🌾Thriving crops and forests 🦅Wildlife management 🐕Humane care for animals 🔬Safe biotechnology 🌎Global trade From ensuring safe & affordable food and protecting animal welfare to preserving forests and managing wildlife, APHIS employees make an incredible impact every day! Learn more about our 2024 accomplishments: https://lnkd.in/gKWaAiGS #APHIS #ProtectingAgriculture

🚨New USDA Biosecurity Assessments for Poultry Producers!🚨 To help prevent the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and support farmers, USDA is offering free biosecurity assessments for commercial poultry producers. These assessments help identify and address biosecurity risks. More info:  🗓️Please join our webinar TODAY at 3pm eastern  🔗Register here: https://lnkd.in/gbt_fhT7 Or email/call with questions and to request a free biosecurity assessment today!  Email: poultry.biosecurity@usda.gov  Phone: 844-820-2234 #HPAI #USDAAPHIS

Kathryn Bronsky, a plant protection expert with USDA APHIS, recently spoke with Better Homes & Gardens about some of the most destructive invasive pests in the U.S., including the spotted lanternfly and spongy moth. These pests can spread quickly on the items people travel with, causing significant damages to trees, crops, and local economies. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gHrebPNp

USDA’s Risk-Based Sampling at Ports-of-Entry (RBS POE) is streamlining agricultural imports by rewarding compliant entities with reduced inspections. This data-driven approach focuses inspection resources on high-risk shipments, ensuring efficiency while protecting U.S. agriculture from invasive pests. Learn more about how this program works, benefits importers and strengthens biosecurity: https://lnkd.in/gf_peEUh #APHIS #ProtectingAgriculture

Celebrating National Agriculture Day with Our Partners in Protection! Agriculture is the backbone of our nation, and at APHIS we work alongside farmers, ranchers, and ag professionals to safeguard plant and animal health. From preventing invasive pests to ensuring livestock health, our mission supports a thriving agricultural industry. Today, we recognize and thank those who dedicate their lives to feeding and sustaining our country. Let’s continue working together for a resilient and productive future! 🤝 #NationalAgricultureDay #AgDay2025 #ProtectingAgriculture

Happening this week: partners working on the Don't Pack a Pest initiative are coming together for a collaborative meeting to reinforce our commitment to safeguarding agriculture from invasive pests. Through discussions and shared insights, we’re working to ensure travelers understand the importance of preventing the spread of harmful pests across borders. A huge thank you to all our partners for their dedication to protecting American agriculture! Stay tuned for more updates as we work together to expand this vital program. #DontPackAPest #ProtectingAgriculture #InvasiveSpecies #PartnershipsForPrevention U.S. Customs and Border Protection California Department of Food and Agriculture Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Texas Department of Agriculture

The spongy moth (formerly known as the gypsy moth) is a highly destructive invasive pest that threatens forests and trees across the U.S. Its caterpillars can defoliate entire forests, leaving them vulnerable to disease and other pests. You can help stop them. -Know and follow any quarantine regulations in your area, especially if you are relocating. -Before moving or traveling out of an infested area, check for the spongy moth egg masses, which can be found during the cold months in the fall, winter, and early spring. -Each egg mass contains up to 1,000 eggs and is covered with buff or yellowish “hair.” -Check for spongy moth egg masses on outdoor items like furniture, vehicles, stones, walls, and logs. -Remove and destroy any egg masses or life stages you find. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gEHJQ2UX #NISAW #NISAW2025 #APHIS #ProtectingAgriculture

The spotted lanternfly is a beautiful but highly destructive invasive species that threatens vineyards, orchards, and a wide array of plants. It spreads by hitchhiking on vehicles, firewood, and outdoor gear. What can you do? -Check your car, RV, or outdoor equipment before traveling. If you see spotted lanternfly egg masses, scrape them off and dispose of them properly with household waste. -Don’t move untreated firewood to new places. -Report sightings outside of quarantine areas to help us hold the line against this pest’s spread. Your actions make a difference! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g_PEsDGB #NISAW #NISAW2025 #APHIS

During National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW), we’re highlighting the New World screwworm (NWS) —a dangerous parasite that poses a serious threat to livestock, wildlife, and pets. NWS larvae can infest open wounds of animals, causing severe damage and even death if left untreated. Thanks to decades of efforts, the U.S. has been free of New World screwworm since 1966, but vigilance is key to preventing its return. APHIS works closely with our domestic and international partners to monitor and respond to potential outbreaks - protecting animal health and American agriculture. Learn more about our work to keep this invasive pest at bay: https://lnkd.in/eM9iHsYN #NISAW #NISAW2025 #APHIS #ProtectingAgriculture

Nutria may look like oversized rodents, but these invasive animals are wreaking havoc on wetlands across the U.S. They destroy aquatic plants, erode riverbanks, and outcompete native species. What can you do? Learn to identify nutria—they look similar to beavers but have long, round tails. Report any sightings to local wildlife officials. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gZKdSbNR #NISAW #NISAW2025 #APHIS #WildlifeServices