WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, poultry groups sent a letter to congressional officials expressing their concern about the possibility of stalled vaccine delivery as a result of the government shutdown. The letter noted that two weeks of stalled vaccine delivery would directly impact food safety, animal health and bio-security and called on congressional officials to appropriate funding immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) – the agency overseeing the release of vaccines for use in animal health, particularly poultry, cattle and swine.
“We would like to express our gratitude to the House Agriculture Committee, USDA, APHIS, the administration, and the many congressional officials who helped in making sure there are no interruptions at CVB in dispensing vaccines during the government shutdown,” said U.S. Poultry & Egg Association President John Starkey, National Chicken Council President Mike Brown, and National Turkey Federation President Joel Brandenberger.
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