Item 1. Welcome and Call to Order by Chairman Locke
- The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) met on November 15, 2022.
- Chairman Coleman Locke began the meeting at 8:30AM.
Item 2. Roll Call for Commission Members
- Commissioners Payne, Oates, and Evans were absent from the meeting.
- The remaining commissioners participated in the roll call.
Item 3. Approval of Minutes of the 413th Meeting
- There was no public comment or discussion on the minutes of the previous meeting.
- The motion to approve the minutes was made by Commissioner Jordan and seconded by Commissioner Leathers.
Item 4. Report of the Executive Director and Approval of Waiver and Variance Requests
- Bovine Brucellosis: The proposed amendment to §35.4 removes additional entry requirements for cattle originating from Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
- Avian Influenza: A waiver was approved allowing the entry of Eastern Wild Turkeys for restocking prior to having a certificate of veterinary inspection and negative AI and PT tests.
- Tuberculosis: A waiver was denied due to no minimum testing age for kudu species.
- The motion to approve the waiver requests was made by Commissioner Leathers and seconded by Commissioner Vermedahl.
Item 5. Presentation of Field Animal Health Programs and Disease Traceability
- Swine: Staffing in field positions is being filled as quickly as possible to ensure quality work.
- Various animals: Inspections were conducted for feed yards, calf ranches, feral swine, and fowl.
- The agency responded to HPAI outbreaks in Dallas and Rockwall counties.
- Internal training and preparedness efforts are ongoing.
Item 6. Presentation of USDA Veterinary Services Program Update
- Avian Influenza: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza continues to be detected nationally, with deployments for HPAI and supporting Southern Border Ports causing staffing shortages.
- The agency is working to fill vacancies in term animal health technicians.
Item 7. Audit Subcommittee Reports for July 2022 and November 2022
- There was no discussion or action on the audit reports.
Item 8. Consideration of and Possible Action on Agency Fiscal Year 2022 Internal Audit Annual Report
- The motion to approve the report was made by Commissioner Jordan and seconded by Commissioner Staggs.
Item 9. Budget Status Report
- General Revenue: $13,522,684 is budgeted for FY 2023.
- Federal Funds: $1,746,552 is budgeted for FY 2023.
- Expenditures total $2,223,177 year-to-date and $12 million is available.
Item 10. Consideration of and Possible Action on Agency Contracts and Purchases
- Various contracts, purchases, and leases were presented for consideration.
- The motion to approve the contracts was made by Commissioner Vermedahl and seconded by Commissioner Klein.
Item 11. Consideration of and Possible Action on Orders Related to Commission Rule Violations
- Several orders related to rule violations were discussed and considered.
Item 12. Consideration of and Possible Action on Adoption of Proposed Rules
- Trichomoniasis: Amendments to Chapter 38, Trichomoniasis, were proposed to clarify and update information.
- Brucellosis: Proposed amendments to Chapter 35, Brucellosis, would remove additional entry requirements for cattle from Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
- Chronic Wasting Disease: Proposed amendments to Chapter 40, Chronic Wasting Disease, would increase surveillance efforts.
- Reportable and Actionable Diseases: Malignant Catarrhal Fever caused by a ruminant gamma herpesvirus was added to the list of reportable diseases.
- The motion to propose the amendments was made by Commissioner Staggs and seconded by Commissioner Turner.
Item 13. Closed Executive Session
- A closed executive session was held to receive legal advice, discuss pending or contemplated litigation, and settlement offers as permitted by Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code.
- Another closed executive session was held to deliberate on employee appointments, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal as permitted by Section 551.074 of the Texas Government Code.
Item 14. Reconvene
- The meeting reconvened with no action necessary following the closed sessions.
Item 15. Request to Set Rate of Compensation for the Executive Director
- A motion was made by Commissioner Jordan and seconded by Commissioner Leathers to set the rate of compensation for the Executive Director to $225,000, which does not exceed the maximum Salary Schedule of Exempt Position Group 6.
Item 16. Public Comment
- Public comment was provided at each item as necessary.
Item 17. Set Date for Next Commission Meeting
- The date for the next Commission meeting will be posted on the agency's website when set.
Item 18. Adjournment
- The meeting adjourned at 11:05AM.
TXIFOA Public Comment
TAHC requires comments be submitted prior to the meeting. Public comments are only allowed if approved. Comments are limited to 3 minutes. The questions below were posed in-person at the meeting, and the answers were delivered via email afterward.
Karen Richey
Karen Richey, backyard and exhibition poultry, Wills Point, Texas.
Agenda item 13. (C) Reportable and Actionable Diseases.
- Has there ever been a case of Avian Influenza resulting from the movement of Exhibition Poultry across state lines or from re-entry? If so, where and when did it occur and how was it documented?
- TAHC Answer – There has not been a documented case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) connected to poultry shows. But, because movement and co-mingling of animals increases the risk of disease transmission, many states have decided to cancel certain types of poultry show to reduce the risk of disease transmission.
Agenda Item 13. (C) as well.
- When a positive case of Avian Ifluenza is found in a backyard flock how is it determined to depopulate or quarantine them? I ask this because we have seen some cases reported as depopulated and some quarantined like the one in Rockwall County no too long ago.
- TAHC Answer – The domestic poultry were depopulated, but following the USDA guidance, wild water fowl were not depopulated on the premise due to the daily change in that population.