Letter to Mark Pryor, Chairman and Roy Blunt, Ranking Member of Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Related Agencies - Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Vaccine

Letter

The Honorable Mark Pryor
Chairman
Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Related Agencies
Committee on Appropriations
United State Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Roy Blunt
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Related Agencies
Committee on Appropriations
United State Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Pryor and Ranking Member Blunt:

As the Subcommittee finalizes the FY2015 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we ask that funding be included to address a new virus that is devastating pork producers in states across the country.

Since April 2013, the emerging disease Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) has killed over 6 million pigs across the United States. With PEDv having a near 100% mortality rate for piglets under two weeks old, the economic costs to producers are staggering. If PEDv continues to spread at its current rate, many producers could struggle to remain in business. The decreased supply of pigs is causing pork prices to rise for consumers, while emerging diseases such as Swine Delta Corona Virus are impacting many of the same producers harmed by PEDv.

Control of and response to emerging diseases is critical. There is no currently licensed vaccine for PEDv. To address an outbreak of this magnitude, we request that robust funding be appropriated in FY2015 to USDA's Agricultural Research Service and National Institute for Food and Agriculture programs to better understand these diseases and to develop a vaccine. We also ask that funding be approved for comprehensive monitoring and surveillance efforts by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.