TAHC Meeting 419 January 23, 2024

Item 1. Welcome and Call to Order by Chairman Locke

  • The TAHC commissioners met in person on January 23, 2024.
  • The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Item 2. Roll Call for Commission Members

  • There were no absences from the commission members.

Item 3. Closed Executive Session to Receive Legal Advice, Discuss Pending or Contemplated Litigation, and Settlement Offers as Permitted by Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code

  • No information was provided about this closed executive session.

Item 4. Closed Executive Session to Deliberate the Appointment, Employment, Evaluation, Reassignment, Duties, Discipline, or Dismissal of Specific Commission Employees as Permitted by Section 551.074 of the Texas Government Code

  • No information was provided about this closed executive session.

Item 5. Reconvene to Consider Any Action Needed Following Closed Executive Session

  • No action was needed after reconvening from the closed executive sessions.

Item 6. Approval of the Minutes of the 418th Meeting

  • The minutes of the previous meeting were approved with no public comment or discussion.
  • Commissioner Jordan made the motion, and Commissioner B. Klein seconded it.

Item 7. Report of the Executive Director and Approval of Waiver and Variance Requests

Trichomoniasis

  • Trichomoniasis surveillance data from TVMDL (2023) showed 16,639 total individual PCR tests.
  • 105 positive individual PCR results (.63%).
  • 3,200 total culture tests.
  • 2 positive culture results (.06%).

Cattle Fever Ticks

  • FY 2023 saw 122 traces with a total of 226 cattle fever ticks.

Other Issues

  • The Executive Director presented information on the agency's operations and activities.
  • Eight waiver requests were submitted, and seven were approved.
  • Commissioner Leathers made the motion to approve the waivers, and Commissioner Payne seconded it.

Item 8. Presentation of Emergency Management Activities

Grimes County HPAI Response

  • 45 birds were depopulated.
  • 56 backyards flocks were identified in the area.
  • 27 birds were depopulated.

Carson County HPAI Response

  • 12 backyard flocks were identified in the area.

Training and Preparedness

  • The TAHC staff attended a swine depopulation exercise in Oklahoma.
  • A meeting was held with the Texas Beef Council to plan for FMD outbreaks.
  • Incident Management Team planning group worked on alternative depopulation methods.
  • Regular meetings with the Incident Management Team were conducted.

Secure Food Supply Program Updates

  • Forty-eight feedlot or dairy plans were completed, and eight cow/calf plans were completed.
  • Work is ongoing with West Texas A&M University to develop Secure Beef Supply plans for feedlots.
  • Engagement with other states via the SFS workgroup was continued.

Item 9. Presentation of Authorized Personnel Activities

  • The TAHC staff provided information on authorized personnel data, including:
    • Veterinarians trained in 2023: 101
    • Vets certified in Trich: 110
    • Vets certified in CWD Antemortem Testing: 84
    • CWD Postmortem Collectors: 300

Item 10. Presentation of Disease Information and Epidemiology Activities

Cattle - Tuberculosis

  • Six herds are under TB Assurance Testing.
  • One herd is under quarantine for a TB testing plan.
  • 43 ongoing tuberculosis facility trace investigations.

Cattle - Brucellosis

  • One herd is under hold order pending regulatory testing.
  • Annual Brucella Surveillance data from TVMDL (January to October 2023) showed:
    • 36,275 BAPA tests.
    • 410 FPA tests.
    • 4,656 Card Agglutination tests.
    • 3,715 Plate Agglutination tests.
    • 594 Tube Agglutination tests.
    • 546 CF tests.

Cattle - Trichomoniasis

  • See Item 7. Report of the Executive Director and Approval of Waiver and Variance Requests.

Equine

  • EIA surveillance data from Texas EIA Laboratories (January to October 2023) showed:
    • 119,917 EIA tests.
    • 25 positive results.
  • Equine Piroplasmosis Surveillance Testing data from TVMDL (January to October 2023) showed:
    • 4,242 Tests for T. Equi: 4 positive results.
    • 1,975 Tests for B. Caballi: 1 positive result.

Avian

  • Texas had four cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in backyard flocks in 2023.

Anthrax

  • Five cases of Anthrax were reported in 2023.

Swine

  • Pseudorabies of Swine data from TVMDL for 2023 showed:
    • 10,073 tests: 7 positive results.

Item 11. USDA-VS Report

  • Dr. Louisa Collins provided an update on the USDA's activities in Texas.
  • The USDA is trying to hire one veterinary medical officer and an epidemiologist.
  • Staff have been engaged in HPAI responses, with 1,082 confirmed cases and 861 control areas released.

Item 12. Audit Subcommittee Report

  • Commissioner Leathers presented information from the audit subcommittee meeting.
  • The committee reviewed and approved several audit reports.

Item 13. Budget Status Report

  • Paula Andrews provided an update on the agency's budget for FY 2024.
  • General Revenue: $16,658,158
  • Capital Vehicles: $415,000
  • Capital Equipment: $200,000
  • AHP Fee Revenue: $860,000
  • Federal Funds: $1,766,722

Item 14. Consideration of and Possible Action on Agency Contracts and Purchases

  • No contracts, purchases, or leases were reviewed or acted upon.

Item 15. Consideration of and Possible Action on Orders Related to Commission Rule Violations and Proposals for Decision

  • Mr. Jabbar Fahim presented orders related to rule violations.
  • Commissioner Jordan made the motion to approve the orders, and Commissioner Johnson seconded it.

Item 16. Presentation of Petitions for Rulemaking

Petition Related to Entry Requirements and Scrapie

  • The requestor wants to include Valais Blacknose sheep as part of the TAHC Scrapie rule.
  • Commissioners moved that staff study the issue and bring a recommendation to the next meeting.

Petition Related to Malignant Catarrhal Fever Caused by a Ruminant Gamma Herpesvirus

  • The requestor wants to propose enforcement rules for the detection of Ovine Herpesvirus-2.
  • Commissioners moved that staff study the issue and bring a recommendation to the next meeting.

Item 17. Consideration and Possible Action on Adoption of Proposed Rules

Chapter 32, Hearing and Appeal Procedures

  • The proposed amendments provide clearer guidance on existing administrative appeal processes.
  • Commissioner Jordan made the motion to adopt the amendments, and Commissioner Turner seconded it.

Chapter 40, Chronic Wasting Disease

  • The proposed modifications increase surveillance and reduce the risk of CWD.
  • Commissioner Evans made the motion to adopt the amendments, and Commissioner Johnson seconded it.

Chapter 56, Grants, Gifts, and Donations

  • The proposed amendments update rule language for clarity and readability.
  • Commissioner Leathers made the motion to adopt the amendments, and Commissioner Jordan seconded it.

Item 18. Consideration and Possible Action on Proposed Rules

Chapter 40, Chronic Wasting Disease

  • The proposed amendment establishes containment zones in several counties due to CWD detections.
  • Commissioner Leathers made the motion to propose the amendments, and Commissioner Osterkamp seconded it.

Chapter 49, Equine

  • The proposed amendments streamline testing and identification requirements for thoroughbred horses.
  • Commissioner Leathers made the motion to propose the amendments, and Commissioner Broyles seconded it.

Item 19. Awards and Recognition

  • Executive Director Emeritus Dr. Andy Schwartz's retirement was honored.

Item 20. Public Comment

  • There were no public comments other than those during rule discussions.

Item 21. Discuss 2024 Meeting Dates and Dates for the 420th Commission Meeting

  • Staff will evaluate calendars and provide date options for the remaining meetings in 2024.

Item 22. Adjournment

  • The meeting was adjourned at 1:02 PM.