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Censky: progress continues on creating a national animal vaccine bank

Progress continues in establishing a new foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank, according to USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Censky.

He gave an update on the timeline for getting the new bank up and running during a Senate Ag Committee hearing Thursday.

“The department issued a sources sought notice on September 10 to the vaccine manufacturers to get information about the various vaccines that they have available, the amounts the have available and that information just closed on October 10,” he says.

Censky says the department is analyzing that information and will put together a procurement plan for purchasing vaccines. 

“We look forward to going out and starting that request for proposals for the acquisition of those serotypes toward the end of the year or the beginning of the next calendar year,” he says.

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will make up to $10 million available between National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network programs.