NPPC Celebrates Senate Passage of Beagle Brigade Act, Urges House Passage

NPPC Celebrates Senate Passage of Beagle Brigade Act, Urges House Passage

WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 22, 2024 - The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) celebrated 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 (Beagle Brigade) of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection bolster national security by performing critically important inspections at ports of entry. The Beagle Brigade Act will secure and strengthen the program.