The National Pork Producers Council is celebrating the U.S. Senate’s unanimous passage of S.759, the Beagle Brigade Act, which provides statutory authority and reliable funding to the National Detector Dog Training Center.

“American agriculture relies on the National Detector Dog Training Center to prevent the introduction of foreign animal and plant diseases that would cripple our food supply,” said Lori Stevermer, NPPC president and pork producer from Easton, Minnesota. “For the pork industry, the ‘Beagle Brigade’ is the first line of defense for keeping threats from foreign animal diseases, like African swine fever, out of the United States. America’s pork producers greatly appreciate Senator Ernst and our Senate champions and urge the House to take this up before the end of the year.”

The agriculture canine teams of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection bolster national security by performing critically important inspections at ports of entry. On a typical day, CBP seizes more than 4,600 plants, meat, and animal byproducts that must be quarantined or destroyed.

 Sponsored by Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Joni Ernst (R-IA), the “Beagle Brigade Act of 2023” also requires APHIS to report to Congress within one year on:

Related:Farm Progress America, Dec. 12, 2024

While the House Agriculture Committee included a provision authorizing and funding the dog training center in its 2024 Farm Bill, the full House would need to approve the Farm Bill or pass the Senate’s “Beagle Brigade” bill before it could become law.

NPPC congratulates Brooke Rollins as Secretary of Agriculture

Following President-elect Donald Trump's announcement that he will nominate Brooke Rollins to be his Secretary of Agriculture, NPPC issued the following statement: 

"Congratulations to Ms. Rollins on her nomination as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. We look forward to collaborating with the next Secretary to address the challenges impacting our industry. Pork producers continue to rely on strong leadership to support agriculture and ensure the success of American farmers."