Representative Angie Craig Praises USDA’s One Health Disease Surveillance Investments to Prevent Future Pandemics

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S Representative Angie Craig applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) announcement that it will devote $300 million in American Rescue Plan funding to support a One Health strategy to monitor emerging zoonotic diseases. Since the onset of COVID-19, Craig has urged Congress and the USDA to take a more active approach in disease research and prevention. Last May, she called for a One Health strategyand urged House leadership to include funding for research on the connection between animal, human and environmental health in COVID-19 relief legislation. The American Rescue Plan included that funding.

"The loss of life and the economic destruction caused by COVID-19 around the globe implores us to take serious, holistic action to prevent future pandemics," said Representative Craig. "After pushing for a One Health strategy to research emerging diseases, I'm pleased to see the USDA devoting $300 million in funding to proactively research zoonotic diseases and their potential impact on human life moving forward."

The One Health approach embraces the idea that complex problems that affect the health of humans, animals, and the environment are best solved through improved communication, cooperation, and collaboration across disciplines and sectors. The funds will be used to conduct surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 and other and zoonotic diseases in susceptible animals and build an early warning system to alert public health partners to potential threats so they can take steps sooner to prevent or limit the next global pandemic. The research will be conducted by the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under a strategic frameworkutilizing the One Health approach.

You can find the full announcement from the USDA here.