A member of the “Beagle Brigade.” Agriculture groups are supporting the national training center for the dogs and their handlers.

Agricultural groups are urging Congress to quickly pass legislation authorizing USDA’s National Detector Dog Training Center in Newman, Ga.

The center trains canine teams to sniff out potentially contaminated products at U.S. ports of entry to prevent their introduction into the U.S.

In a letter to House and Senate leaders, more than 50 agricultural groups said the center is the primary training facility for the “Beagle Brigade” that helps protect U.S. natural resources and agriculture producers from foreign animal and plant diseases and pests.

“The $1 trillion U.S. agriculture sector is a key component of the American economy and is fundamental to our national security. The introduction of foreign animal and plant pests and diseases costs the American economy tens of billions of dollars annually,” the groups said in the letter.

“The introduction of foreign animal diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever or virulent Newcastle disease, or plant diseases, such as tomato brown rugose fruit virus, maize lethal necrosis or citrus greening disease, would have a devastating impact on U.S. agricultural producers, their communities and the economy if introduced into the U.S.,” they said.

Groups supporting the Beagle Brigade Act of 2022 (S.3678 and H.R. 8432) include American Farm Bureau Federation, National Farmers Union, Western Growers, National Milk Producers Federation, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Producers Council and numerous others.

“Healthy animals ensure consumers have safe food and allow American producers, their communities and the U.S. economy to thrive,” said Terry Wolters, president of National Pork Producers Council.

“Early detection at our U.S. borders has never been more critical. Training canine teams against threats like animal disease and identifying potentially contaminated products at our nation’s ports of entry is critical to the safety of U.S. agriculture,” he said.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is urging Congress to provide specific authorization for the training center so canine teams can continue to provide robust inspections at U.S. ports of entry, said Allison Rivera, NCBA executive director of government affairs.

“The Beagle Brigade is crucial for preventing foreign animal diseases, invasive species and pests from entering the country,” she said.

“We ask Congress to support the National Detector Dog Training Center and the important work done by the agriculture canine teams at our international ports of entry to guard against national security threats, address public safety risks and grow the economy,” the groups said in the letter.

More than 115 agricultural canine teams provide screening at border crossings, airports, cruise terminals, cargo warehouses and mail facilities, according to USDA.

The program began in 1984 and now operates on 17 acres with eight buildings and 100 kennels. Training programs last up to 13 weeks, and the dogs work until they are about 9 years old.