WASHINGTON, D.C | At the 2024 Winter Policy Conference, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture members passed a policy amendment supporting farmers and ranchers’ ability to safeguard animal health through the responsible use of vaccines. Members also emphasized the importance of utilizing vaccines that have undergone a thorough approval and licensing process by the USDA and FDA, ensuring a robust foundation of scientific and peer-reviewed research.
“Our farmers and ranchers must have the ability to safeguard animal health against foreign and emerging disease. Vaccines developed and researched through an approved, scientific and regulatory process are a tool helping producers to accomplish that,” NASDA CEO Ted McKinney said. “NASDA prioritizes the wellbeing of livestock and public health, and we must ensure farmers and ranchers have access to approved mRNA vaccines to ensure the health of their animals and provide a safe and resilient food supply.”
NASDA supports a robust federal approval and review process for any new vaccine or other animal health tool that can be used to protect the domestic livestock industry from existing or emerging foreign or domestic animal disease outbreaks, safeguarding livestock and public health. Currently, no mRNA vaccines are approved for administration to animals in the U.S. even though one RNA vaccine has been licensed for use in swine. Research and scientific review of mRNA vaccines in livestock is crucial to provide livestock producers with access to all approved and available technologies.
NASDA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association which represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries and directors of the departments of agriculture in all 50 states and four U.S. territories. NASDA enhances American food and agricultural communities through policy, partnerships and public engagement. To learn more about NASDA, please visit www.nasda.org.