AVMA praises veterinary provisions in House-passed Farm Bill

(WASHINGTON, DC) April 30, 2026-The U.S. House of Representatives advanced a new Farm Bill that would reauthorize many federal programs and policies essential to veterinary medicine today. After sustained engagement with lawmakers and collaborative advocacy work with other stakeholders, the AVMA helped ensure the latest proposal includes some of the veterinary community's top legislative priorities, which will help maintain and protect animal welfare and public health.

"The AVMA applauds the House for advancing a Farm Bill that will strengthen dog importation standards, fund and assess federal programs vital to veterinary medicine, and protect the country's animal and public health," said Dr. Michael Q. Bailey, AVMA President. "Enacting the Farm Bill is essential to advancing research into effective recruitment and retention strategies for veterinarians serving in rural and underserved communities. With the legislation now moving to the Senate for consideration, we look forward to working further with Congress and will continue to underscore the importance of including veterinary priorities in the final version of the Farm Bill."

Key veterinary provisions:

• Inclusion of the Healthy Dog Importation Act: The bill would help prevent the introduction and spread of animal and human health diseases. The legislation would improve importation standards to ensure a dog is healthy when imported into the United States, which is especially important considering New World Screwworm in Mexico is a serious threat that has moved closer to the U.S. border.
• Extends reauthorization of animal disease prevention and management programs through 2031 and expands activities to include improving animal disease traceability: Also known as the "three-legged stool," these programs bolster the country's prevention, preparedness, and response capabilities to foreign animal disease outbreaks.
• Reauthorization and assessment of important veterinary programs: The Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) and the Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP) are essential to recruiting and retaining veterinarians in rural areas. The new Farm Bill proposal reauthorizes VSGP and includes language for the Secretary of Agriculture to review and provide recommendations for improving these two programs.
• Reauthorization of the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Database Program (FARAD): FARAD protects the U.S. food supply from accidental or intentional contamination of animal-derived foods from substances not safe for human consumption.