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Jacob Hegeman
State
Liaison, APHIS
Legislative
and Public Affiars
202-720-6794
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In mid-October, APHIS began distributing all press releases via RSS feed. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary and provides another way for APHIS to share information from its Web site with stakeholders, the media and the public. New press releases are still posted to the APHIS Web site, but the RSS feed allows users to subscribe and receive releases automatically. Press releases and notices are currently the only APHIS materials accessible through RSS feed, but the Agency soon hopes to expand the number of feeds that are available and users will be able to subscribe to as many or as few feeds as they would like. In addition to the new RSS feed, APHIS has an existing database that users have been subscribing to for years to receive press releases. This database automatically emails Agency press releases to subscribers, and APHIS will continue this service until RSS feed technology is more widely used. In addition, APHIS’ State Liaisons will continue to email relevant program releases to the appropriate State officials. For more information about RSS feeds and to subscribe to APHIS’ feed, go to: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/rss_feeds.shtml. Information about the Agency’s RSS feed is also available at the end of every APHIS press release.
With the start of the 2010 fiscal year (FY) on October 1, APHIS’ Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program is busy identifying specific projects to implement section 10201 of the 2008 Farm Bill. Section 10201 directs PPQ to make available Commodity Credit Corporation Funds for a variety of new plant health programs, starting with $12 million in FY 2009, $45 million in FY 2010 and $50 million in FY 2011 and years thereafter. In FY 2009 the final spending plan allocated $12 million across 63 projects or procurements with 21 States and other cooperators. The plan is available on the Farm Bill 10201 Web site listed at the bottom of this article. Like FY 2009, the FY 2010 spending plan will be organized around the six goal areas PPQ has identified for 10201 implementation. New projects will fall under one of these categories:
To inform the development of the FY 2010 spending plan, PPQ sought suggestions from interested stakeholders from July 20-August 24 on what particular projects should be funded in FY 2010. Several hundred suggestions were made during this time that are now being evaluated by PPQ. A final spending plan is expected in mid-November and will be posted on the Farm Bill 10201 Web site. If you have suggestions for a 10201 project, you can submit suggestions at any time by emailing PPQ.Section.Farmbill-10201@aphis.usda.gov. On a separate 10201 note, in early September, PPQ released its Comparative Risk Analysis for the 50 U.S. States. This document presents the risk each State faces of being affected by one or more plant pests or diseases based on criteria in the Farm Bill, as well as other data accessible to PPQ at the time the analysis was conducted. The resulting rank was not used in any formula to determine State-by-State funding levels. Rather, it provides a standardized assessment and review of data pertinent to potential pest introductions. The document also serves as a common point for communication between Federal and State governments and related industry stakeholders about the associated risks and pathways of pest introduction, including offshore sources. The report is one way that PPQ is working to interpret pest findings and trends in partnership with Federal, State and industry cooperators to facilitate dialogue on the complex relationships among these data elements. The analysis document is in the process of being posted online and will be available shortly on the 10201 Web site. For more information on the implementation of section 10201, please see:
As part of the ‘Biosecurity for Birds’ Campaign, APHIS’ Veterinary Services program is once again distributing free calendars to serve as a year-round reminder of the importance of raising healthy flocks. The latest version of the calendar is entitled “2010 Backyard Biosecurity: Keeping Your Birds Healthy.” This is the fifth consecutive year that APHIS has produced the calendar, which is printed in both English and Spanish. The calendars are designed to help raise awareness about avian diseases, such as avian influenza (AI) and exotic Newcastle disease (END). APHIS distributed more than 90,000 copies of the 2009 calendar. ”Our goal is to spread the word about biosecurity and bird health to people raising backyard poultry,” said Madeleine Fletcher, the APHIS Public Affairs Specialist responsible for the ‘Biosecurity for Birds’ outreach and education campaign. “The calendar provides tips and recommendations that backyard poultry owners can easily implement to protect their flocks.” To promote the new calendar, the ‘Biosecurity for Birds’ campaign is having a calendar photo contest. Amateur and professional photographers are invited to submit their best poultry or pet bird photos by January 31, 2010. The winning photo will be featured in the 2011 Biosecurity for Birds calendar. Those interested in participating can visit the “Biosecurity for Birds” Web site for more information and to submit the online entry form. Copies of the calendar can also be ordered using the online order form on the ‘Biosecurity for Birds’ Web site at http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov. If you have not already done so, please feel free to link to this page on your own Web site. For more information about the ‘Biosecurity for Birds’ campaign, contact Madelaine Fletcher at 301-734-6125 or by email at madelaine.flectcher@aphis.usda.gov.
APHIS’ Wildlife Services program is building upon its successful efforts last year to reintroduce river otters to the New Mexico landscape. In late October, six otters from Washington State were released on Taos Pueblo Tribal Lands in the upper Rio Grande watershed of New Mexico. The river otters—four males and two females—joined 10 other otters who were reintroduced in late 2009.
“The otters that were reintroduced last year are thriving in their new environment,” said Darren Bruning, the WS biologist who coordinated the relocation effort. “WS is pleased to continue participating in this worthwhile effort that allows us to utilize an innovative approach for addressing human-wildlife conflicts in one State while helping to reestablish a native species to its historic range in another State.” All of the relocated river otters were captured in the Puget Sound area of Washington State where, in contrast to New Mexico, otters are found in abundance. The smallest otter captured weighs 14 pounds and the biggest weighs 26 pounds. Prior to being released, the otters passed disease quarantine and underwent complete health examinations. They were flown from Washington State to New Mexico in a Twin Otter aircraft provided by the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and released in stages to minimize the potential for any social conflicts between animals. Reintroducing the animals is a cooperative effort that involves, WS, New Mexico Friends of the River Otter, the Taos Pueblo Indian Tribe, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, BLM, and other private conservation groups. Fur trapping and habitat destruction led to the disappearance of the river otter in New Mexico, and until last year it had been more than half a century since river otters were last seen in the State. Ultimately, the goal is to reintroduce as many as 30 river otters to the upper Rio Grande with the hope that the river otters will take it from there.
Since December of 2005, APHIS’ Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking System (PCIT) has been helping to reduce the administrative burden associated with the application, processing and fee collection of Phytosanitary Certificates (PCs). PCs certify that exported agricultural commodities are in compliance with the plant health standards of importing countries. Approximately 70% of all PCs are issued by State and County officials with the remainder issued directly by USDA. First rolled out in 2005, use of PCIT for PC applications has been on the rise as users have recognized the benefits of the program. Between 2006 and 2008 the number of PCs issued through PCIT rose from approximately 14,000 to 244,000, yearly. In addition to the federal certificates, PCIT has the ability to generate state PCs. To date, 13 state PCs are available within PCIT. While PCIT has had the ability to collect federal fees for PCs directly from the exporter since 2007, some new PCIT updates have been made this year to further expand its functionality. In particular, with the implementation of the new USDA administrative fee for PCs issued by States and Counties on October 1, PCITs fee collection mechanism has been expanded to accommodate this change. As well, beginning this August, PCIT began collecting State and County user fees. States and Counties have been embracing this function with 15 States and 3 California Counties currently using PCIT to collect both their fees and the USDA administrative fee. More than $290,000 in fees has been collected in October alone. This fee collection mechanism simplifies billing and reduces the amount of time and paperwork for both applicants and reviewing officials. PCIT also provides stakeholders a reporting mechanism for tracking certificates and fees. Looking forward, the system is expected to gain even more functionality in 2010 when features of EXCERPT are integrated into PCIT. This will allow PCIT users to view the phytosanitary import requirements of trading partners, thereby allowing an exporter to see these requirements in real time as they complete their PC applications and further automate the certificate processing. PCIT can be accessed at https://pcit.aphis.usda.gov/pcit/. A level 1 eAuthentication account is required for all users. For more information on the PCIT program, please contact Christian Dellis at christian.b.dellis@aphis.usda.gov.
More than 350 APHIS employees who work for the National Veterinary Services Laboratories and the Center for Veterinary Biologics in Ames, Iowa, moved into a brand new, state-of-the-art building between July and September marking the near completion of a modernization effort that has been underway for more than a decade. The 550,000 square-foot building contains administrative and laboratory support offices as well as laboratory facilities that meet national needs for animal health research, diagnosis and product evaluation. The biosafety level (BSL) 2 and 3 laboratories allow for animal health work to be conducted in contained environments because they have their own air and filtration systems that are separate from the rest of the building. In addition to NVSL and CVB, the new building also houses employees from USDA’s National Animal Disease Center, which is a part of the Agricultural Research Service. The recently completed administrative and laboratory building sits on the 480-acre National Center for Animal Health (NCAH) campus that includes several other new facilities that were part of the overall modernization effort. In February 2009, contractors completed construction on a BSL-2 low containment large animal housing facility. Two years prior to that, construction was completed on a high containment large animal housing and training facility. The first building to be completed on the new NCAH campus opened in September 2004 and houses APHIS’ Pathobiology and Diagnostic Bacteriology laboratories. Prior to the modernization of the NCAH campus, APHIS’ laboratories were housed in multiple locations around Ames in order to accommodate the Agency’s veterinary diagnostic and biologic needs. With support from the U.S. Animal Health Association and others, USDA was able to make the modernization plan a reality. Now, all of the facilities are housed on one campus and several of the old laboratory and animal buildings on the campus are about to be demolished. A handful of employees still remain at NVSL and CVB’s previous central facility while a few high-containment areas in the new building undergo the final stages of validation and certification. Those employees will move to the new building as soon as this work is complete. The previous central facility is currently being used by other APHIS employees and has the potential to be used for some laboratory services in the future. For more information about the role of NVSL and CVB, please visit: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/lab_info_services/ http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/vet_biologics/.
On Nov. 17, APHIS’ Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) program is hosting a day-long stakeholder meeting in Riverdale, MD, to discuss its current biotechnology regulatory activities. The meeting will give stakeholders the opportunity to hear the latest updates on program initiatives, improvements, and other issues of interest. BRS’ leaders will share information about the e-Permits online system, the notification and permit scientific review process, and engage stakeholders in discussions about implementation of the Biotechnology Quality Management System and improvements in the process of developing National Environmental Policy Act analyses and the process by which developers petition the Agency for nonregulated status. The meeting will serve as an open forum for stakeholders to share their thoughts and feedback, which BRS will consider when implementing program activities. The meeting will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Conference Center of the USDA Center at Riverside—4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737. For directions and information about parking, contact APHIS’ facilities office at 301-734-8010. Please share this information with anyone you think may be interested in attending. BRS has already invited an extensive list of stakeholders and a press release will soon be issued announcing the meeting. Information is also available on the BRS Web site at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/meetings.shtml.
The 2009 National Summit on Companion Animal Emergency Management will take place December 8-10, 2009, at The Center for Animal Welfare at USDA’s Kansas City, MO, facility. The meeting is being hosted by the National Alliance of State Animal and Agricultural Emergency Programs (NASAAEP) and sponsored by APHIS’ Animal Care program. The second annual Summit's goals include identifying and sharing best practices, communicating mechanisms for disaster resource mobilization, exploring opportunities for collaboration to enhance national readiness, and discussing emergency planning and preparedness initiatives among States. Attendance is by invitation only and each State has been invited to send one participant whose travel will be funded by APHIS. Attendees will represent State government agencies; State Animal Response/Resource Teams; Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps; Federal partners including USDA, The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Health and Human Services; national non-governmental organizations; local animal welfare professionals and emergency management agencies; and animal industry. In conjunction with the Summit, NASAAEP’s newly formed Best Practice Working Groups will convene for a day-long kick-off meeting on Monday, December 7. The eight working groups will bring together nationally recognized experts to examine: Planning & Resource Management; Evacuation & Transportation; Animal Sheltering; Animal Search & Rescue; Disaster Veterinary Care; Animal Decontamination, HazMat, & Radiological Issues; Training; and Preparedness & Community Outreach. The working groups are co-chaired by NASAAEP, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition. NASAAEP is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to bringing together Federal and State officials, as well as veterinary and voluntary professionals, to form a strategic collaboration to enhance the nation’s preparedness and capacity to respond to emergencies and disasters involving animals. For more information about the Summit or about NASAAEP, please contact Dr. Arnold Goldman, President, NASAAEP Board of Directors, at 860-639-9300, or at ctsart@ctvet.org. For more information about the NASAAEP Best Practice Working Groups, please contact Dr. Scott Mason, Chair, Best Practice Working Groups Steering Committee and NASAAEP Board Member, at 405.722.4777, or at pnah@cox.net.
Title: Deputy Administrator, International Services (IS) Tell us about your role: I provide leadership and guidance to the IS program in support of APHIS issues relating to trade, sanitary/phytosanitary matters, capacity building and the control and/or eradication of pests such as screwworm, fruit fly, and Medfly. How long have you worked at APHIS: I began with APHIS on October 12th, 2009 Education: B.S. in Political Science, 1973, Catholic University of America; JD, Columbus School of Law, Catholic University, 1976 Most Memorable APHIS experience: My first day on the job. Priorities for the coming months: (1) Assess the headquarter and field organizational structures of IS and make the necessary adjustments; (2) assess the overall systems, practices and roles of the IS workforce and ensure that they are understood by all; (3) develop the necessary relationships with organizations both within and outside APHIS and strengthen those relationships; and (4) ensure that the contributions of the IS workforce add value to the APHIS mission and are seen as vital to the organization. Last good book read: “The Symbol” by Dan Brown Favorite movie: “48 Hours” Hobbies: Reading, photography, collecting and listening to music, and watching sports, especially basketball
All Agency vacancies are posted on the APHIS Web site. To view the entire list of APHIS vacancies go to www.aphis.usda.gov. Under Related Topics click on Find a Job in APHIS. The positions highlighted below are for relevant positions that are at the GS-13 level and above. Position: Supervisory Compliance Investigation Specialist Position: Veterinary Medical Officer (Assistant AVIC) Position: Management Analyst Position: Supervisory Management Analyst (Branch Chief) Position: Supervisory Management Analyst |
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Name: Ronald F. Hicks