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Since December 2014, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed several cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in parts of our country. The disease has been found in wild birds, as well as in a few backyard and commercial poultry flocks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers the risk to people from these specific HPAI strains to be low, with no human cases detected in the United States, Canada, or internationally.

To fight the threat of old world bollworm, USDA is partnering with State departments of agriculture to carry out old world bollworm surveys in Puerto Rico and throughout the United States.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is responsible for administering the Horse Protection Act (HPA). The HPA places primary responsibility on horse show management to prevent the showing or sale of sored horses, which would be in violation of the Act.

6 Ways to Prevent Poultry Diseases (English and Spanish)

When you are asked to become a National Animal Health Emergency Response Corps (NAHERC) member, you have a choice about whether you wish to deploy. If you choose to accept the assignment, you become a temporary Federal employee with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

Scientists at the National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC), part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), are developing several wildlife contraceptives for use with overabundant mammal and bird species.

The 43-acre National Wildlife Research Center headquarters campus includes chemistry and disease laboratories, outdoor animal holding pens, tropical and temperate simulated natural environments (SNEs), and a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) suite. These unique facilities enable NWRC scientists to study traditional laboratory animals and wildlife species in both laboratory and semi-natural settings and to test, evaluate, and modify new wildlife damage management tools and techniques.

Except for Hawaii, coyotes live in all of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. They are found in deserts, swamps, tundra, grasslands, brush, and dense forests, from below sea level to high mountains. They have also learned to live in suburbs and cities like Denver, Los Angeles, New York, and Phoenix.

Relocation, sometimes referred to as translocation or transplantation, is the capture and transfer of a wild animal from one area to another.

Every year, local, State, and Federal governments in the United States distribute more than 12 million oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits in an effort to reduce rabies in wildlife and prevent possible transmission to humans, domestic animals, and pets. Economists at Wildlife Services (WS)—which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)—have conducted cost-benefit analyses of these efforts showing the elimination of rabies in wildlife not only saves lives, but also has the potential to save taxpayers millions of dollars each year.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Wildlife Services (WS) program provides Federal leadership and expertise to help reduce wildlife damage to the food crop, livestock, and aquaculture industries. The National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) is the research arm of the WS program. Its scientists develop new tools and techniques for reducing wildlife damage to agriculture.

This factsheet highlights a case study assessment of Canada goose damage management in Union County, NJ. Assessments provide insights into the value associated with wildlife damage management and are an important tool for decisionmakers.

Oral Contraceptive Baits for Canada Geese and Feral Pigeons

The brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) was accidentally introduced to Guam in the late 1940s or early 1950s, probably from the Solomon Islands. Native to northeastern Australia, eastern Indonesia, and Melanesia, the brown tree snake has significantly damaged the economy and ecology of Guam.

Since 1997, WS has been working cooperatively with local, State, and Federal governments; universities; and other partners to manage rabies in wild carnivores through education, surveillance, and oral rabies vaccination (ORV).

The Resident Canada Goose Nest and Egg Depredation Order (www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/waterfowl/50_cfr21.50.shtml) was issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in 2006 (50 CFR 21.50). The Depredation Order authorizes landowners and local governments who register with the FWS to destroy resident Canada goose nests and eggs on their property from March 1 through June 30, when necessary, to resolve or prevent injury to people, and damage to property, agricultural crops, or other interests.

A recent study conducted by researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) indicates that Salmonella enterica (Salmonella) contamination of feed and water at cattle feeding operations is strongly related to the number of starlings present on facilities.

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) compiled a review of the latest information on rodent damage management as it relates to worldwide agricultural production. Their review was recently published in the book, “Agricultural Production,” by Nova Science Publishers, Inc., Felix C. Wager (editor).

The National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) is the research arm of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Wildlife Services (WS) program. The Invasive Species Research Building (ISRB) is part of the NWRC master plan. The ISRB provides a secure environment to properly care for and study invasive wildlife species that threaten the Nation’s agriculture, natural resources, native wildlife, and threatened and endangered species. The facility provides a unique opportunity to study the ecology, biology, behavior, and physiology of invasive wildlife species and to develop management tools and strategies for mitigating damage and controlling the spread of invasive species.

The ticks of interest to the APHIS tick riders are the cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus, and the southern cattle tick, R. (Boophilus) microplus. These pests are responsible for the spread of a severe and often fatal disease of cattle, commonly known as Texas or cattle fever. The disease, spread through a parasite that destroys red blood cells, was eradicated from the United States by the CFTEP between 1906 and 1961.

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is a serious disease of freshwater and saltwater fish now found in nearby rivers, lakes, and streams.

Spotted wing Drosophila (SWD) was detected in California in the spring of 2009. Additional survey activities have determined that SWD is present in multiple counties within the southern and central portions of that State. Although the species of Drosophila found in California is a non-quarantine pest, it is still important for growers and producers of various fruit and berry crops to be aware of its presence in order to control and manage the insect.

The nutria (Myocastor coypus), a large, semi-aquatic rodent native to South America, originally was brought to the United States in 1889 for its fur. Recognized in the United States as an invasive wildlife species, nutria have been found in 22 States, and are currently established in 16 States.

The M-44 ejector device is an effective and environmentally sound wildlife damage management tool. The spring-activated device delivers a dose of cyanide powder to targeted animals. It uses a cyanide capsule that is registered as a restricted-use pesticide by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The device can be used only by trained certified applicators.

Wild animals contribute to our enjoyment of nature and outdoor recreation, but they can also damage property, agriculture, and natural resources and threaten human health and safety. The WS program assists in solving problems created by wildlife.

An integrated wildlife damage management approach uses a wide variety of methods and techniques to prevent and reduce damage.

Dairy farming and the local economies in dairy production areas rely on effi cient and responsive management practices to remain viable. Wildlife-related damage problems can cause serious challenges to farmers in areas where wildlife populations impact crops and feed, as well as animal health.

Mississippi’s 2.8 million residents share a mix of agricultural, forested, and urban settings with an abundant diversity of wildlife, a natural resource that provides aesthetic, recreational, and economic benefits. By its very nature, however, wildlife is dynamic and mobile—and can cause conflicts when populations grow too large or have too close contact with humans. Introduced, or invasive, species may endanger native animals and the environment. Wildlife can also destroy crops and livestock, damage property and natural resources, and pose serious risks to human health and safety.

Researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have discovered a method to prevent harm to certain birds during rodent eradication efforts. APHIS found that adding an anthraquinone repellent to rodenticide baits successfully prevents the consumption of the baits by Canada geese (Branta canadensis) and ringnecked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus).

Wildlife Services (WS)—a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)—provides Federal leadership and expertise to resolve wildlife interactions that threaten public health and safety and agricultural, property, and natural resources. WS works in every State to administer a program of integrated wildlife damage management. The program operates through a user fee system in response to local requests.

In many areas of the country, populations of nonmigrating, or resident, Canada geese and ducks are increasing dramatically. Although most people find a few birds acceptable, problems quickly develop as bird numbers increase.

Aquaculture producers report that fish-eating birds cause significant economic loss. In addition to predation, fish-eating birds can spread fish diseases.

The livestock protection collar (LPC) is a wildlife damage management tool carefully used by WS personnel to protect sheep and goats in fenced pastures from depredating coyotes.

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and North Dakota State University (NDSU) examined migratory bird use of croplands in North Dakota and found species diversity and densities to be highest in wildlife conservation sunflower plots (WCSP) compared to commercial sunflower or other non-sunflower row-crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat.

In 2001, APHIS established the National Animal Health Emergency Response Corps (NAHERC) to respond to exotic disease outbreaks and other disasters that affect livestock, poultry, companion animals, and wildlife. More student volunteers are urgently needed to assure a decisive response to any potential animal health crises.

Mogulones cruciger (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a European, root-feeding weevil that is not native to the United States. It has gained notoriety in North America over the past 20 years as a biological control agent because it feeds on and destroys houndstongue Cynoglossum officinale L.)—a highly invasive weed that is a serious nuisance for Western ranchers and nature enthusiasts. Houndstongue is highly toxic to cattle and horses, and it prevents desirable plant species from becoming established by capturing soil resources with its deep, well-anchored taproots.

Cattle fever ticks—Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus and R. (B.) microplus—are the most dangerous cattle ectoparasites in the United States. These ticks have been a threat to American agriculture for generations because they spread the disease bovine babesiosis, commonly called cattle fever. This disease caused enormous economic losses to the U.S. cattle industry in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the Navajo Nation, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have shown the simultaneous injection of the GonaCon™ Immunocontraceptive vaccine with a canine rabies vaccine in dogs did not affect the development of rabies antibodies.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Biotechnology Quality Management System Program (BQMS Program) provides compliance assistance to the regulated community for the voluntary adoption of a biotechnology quality management system (BQMS).

An effective predator management program typically incorporates a variety of methods to increase productivity. Livestock protection dogs (LPDs) can be an important component of an overall predation management program.

Vultures have an adaptable nature and exhibit complex behavior. These characteristics—combined with increasing vulture populations—are resulting in a wide range of confl icts between vultures and people. Conflicts occur in agricultural as well as in suburban and urban settings. WS works closely with farmers, homeowners, State and local governments, and industries to resolve conflicts with vultures.

To improve the delivery of its services and meet the ever-changing needs of America’s plant and plant product exporters, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has created the Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking (PCIT) system. This interactive, Web-based tool enables U.S. exporters to apply for phytosanitary certification online, schedule inspections, and print copies of their certificate. When using PCIT, customers can communicate securely over the Internet with county, State, and Federal “Authorized Certification Officials” (ACO), which aids in shipping billions of dollars in products each year.

Brochure on how poultry diseases spread and how best to protect your birds against disease.

The National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) was started in the early 1930s to coordinate State programs aimed at eliminating pullorum from commercial poultry. In those days, many poultry breeders served the needs of thousands of small flock owners. Today, there are only a very few breeders of commercial poultry to serve the commercial poultry industry, which produces billions of chickens and millions of turkeys annually.