FACACLASSIC

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USDA - 1287 - General Conference Committee of the National Poultry Improvement Plan - Agency Authority

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	General Conference Committee of the National Poultry Improvement Plan	Agency Name	Department of Agriculture
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	1287
Original Establishment Date	12/31/1971	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	7
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	DFO
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Dr.
Current Charter Date	5/30/2025	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Elena
Date Of Renewal Charter	5/30/2027	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name	L.
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Behnke
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(770) 922-3496
Establishment Authority*	Agency Authority	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	N/A no fax number
Specific Establishment Authority*	9 CFR 147.43(d)	Designated Federal Officer Email*	elena.behnke@usda.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	12/31/1971
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Other Committee

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The purpose of the Committee is to serve as the official federal advisory committee to the USDA Secretary of Agriculture on matters pertaining to poultry health. The committee provides technical information regarding problems related to poultry health and as the need arises, make specific recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture concerning ways in which the Department may assist the industry in solving these problems. The GCC recommends to the Secretary of Agriculture any changes in the provisions of the NPIP as may be necessitated by unforeseen conditions when postponement until the next NPIP Biennial Conference would seriously impair the operation of the program. The Committee represents and provides a voice to cooperating State agencies and all sectors of the poultry industry. Pullorum is an egg-transmitted agent and can cause upwards of 80% mortality in baby poultry, and the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) routinely monitors and certifies all NPIP breeding flocks under its U.S. PT Clean Classification. Egg and meat-type chicken breeding flocks and hatcheries, and virtually all of our trading partners require baby poultry and hatching eggs originated from breeding flocks and hatcheries free of PT. The General Conference Committee of the NPIP believes there continues to be a need for research in the area of rapid Pullorum-Typhoid serological tests for poultry and a consistent supply of Pullorum Typhoid antigen, which is the primary test available for certifying flocks free of Pullorum-Typhoid. Besides, Pullorum-Typhoid, the NPIP routinely monitors commercial broilers, roasters, game birds, turkeys and table-egg layers for H5 and H7 subtypes of avian influenza under its U.S. H5/H7 Avian Influenza Monitored program and these various avian influenza certification programs are recognized by all of the United States export trading partners as one of the premier avian influenza surveillance and certification programs in the world, and they are consistent with OIE guidelines for avian influenza surveillance. The General Conference Committee of the NPIP has requested that the U.S. Department of Agriculture continue to sufficiently fund the NPIP avian influenza surveillance programs and 100 percent indemnity, when needed. In addition, as a consequence of the HPAI outbreak of 2014-2015, and 2022-2025, the Committee supports the 14 biosecurity principles program and has successfully implemented this program over the past few years. Avian mycoplasmosis may be an industry disruptive and economically significant disease in poultry, and the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) routinely monitors chicken, turkey, waterfowl, backyard, and other types of breeding flocks under its various avian mycoplasma classifications. The standard plate agglutination test, and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are official screening tests of the NPIP for avian mycoplasmas, and the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test is used to evaluate serum samples that react with the ELISA, or plate antigens. The General Conference Committee of the NPIP believe there is a need for research in the area of avian mycoplasma diagnostics to aid in the determination of a more definitive diagnosis. Further, the Committee supports new diagnostic tests being approved for NPIP authorized laboratories that will assist with disease diagnosis. Further still, the General Conference Committee acknowledges the lack of support from a succession-planning standpoint across American universities and is supportive of ways to foster interest in training individuals to take the lead in Mycoplasma diagnostics in the future. The General Conference Committee of the National Poultry Improvement Plan continues to support the U.S. Avian Influenza Clean Compartment program, which has been instrumental in proving to foreign trading partners that the mechanisms in place to prevent Avian Influenza spread are robust enough to guarantee the compartment has freedom from Avian Influenza, even in the face of the recent outbreaks. Trading partners have begun expressing more interest in the program recently, and the General Conference Committee urges USDA to continue to negotiate with foreign trade partners to sell the program in peace-time, based on its exceptional performance during war-time. The National Poultry Improvement Plan is a highly successful health certification program that has both a national and an international impact on trade and disease control, and the National Poultry Improvement Plan includes various programs for the monitoring and surveillance of poultry flocks for Salmonella pullorum, Salmonella gallinarum, Salmonella enteritidis, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae, Mycoplasma, meleagridis, avian influenza, and H5/H7 avian influenza and the control thereof. The success of any program is highly dependent upon the coordination, management, and staffing of all of its parts and the funding that it receives, and the current physical location of the NPIP national office. The NPIP national office is very efficiently located in the heart of the poultry industry, the state of GA. The office is conveniently near the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center of the University of Georgia, the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory and the Richard Russell Research Center of the Agriculture Research Service, U.S. Poultry and Egg Association headquarters, USA Poultry and Egg Export Council office, United Egg Producers headquarters, venue for the annual International Poultry Expo, and the Georgia Poultry Laboratory where many NPIP workshops are held. Location of the NPIP office has contributed to the overall success of the program.
How is membership balanced?*	The committee members are elected at the NPIP Biennial conference by State delegates from their respective regions. There are seven members with a 4-year staggered term. In order to broaden the pool of nominations, the process of soliciting nominations for regional members would include advertisements in at least two industry journals (such as the newsletters of the American Association of Avian Pathologists, National Chicken Council, United Egg Producers, and the National Turkey Federation), Federal Register announcement, and special inquiries for nominations from universities and colleges with minority/disability enrollments and faculty members in poultry science and veterinary science. It is required that at least one nominee from each region be from under represented groups.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The committee meets at least annually. In the even years, they meet in conjunction with the NPIP Biennial Conference. The NPIP Biennial Conference is the only national meeting where the industry, State and Federal government consider poultry health issues on a routine basis. It has international implications relative to over $3 billion export market for poultry and poultry products.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The committee has been an integral part of the NPIP since 1947. Because it is cited in the regulations that govern the NPIP, no other committee could serve this function. This is the only official advisory committee that serves as a liaison between the USDA and the poultry industry on matters pertaining to poultry health. It serves as the official liaison between the NPIP and the United States Animal Health Association Committee on Poultry and Other Avian Species (CPAS), which was formerly known as the Committee on Transmissible Diseases of Poultry.
Why close or partially close meetings?	N/A
Recommendation Remarks	The GCC met in FY2025. The committee is very involved in the poultry industry and a vital asset to the Secretary by making recommendations on emergent diseases and other relevant trade topics within the poultry industry.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	Yes
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	Yes	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	Yes	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment	NA
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	Yes	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	Yes	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	Timely response to industry and program needs. Provides avian influenza control programs for the commercial poultry industry.	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	Greater than 10,000,001	Grants Review Comment	NA
Number Of Recommendations*	226	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	3 new recommendations in FY 2025 40 new recommendations in FY2024 4 new recommendations in FY 2023 49 new recommendations for FY 2022. 2 new recommendations for FY 2021. 0 new recommendations for FY 2020. 4 new recommendations for FY 2019. 36 new recommendations for 2018. 2 new recommendations for FY2017.Previous total recommendations were not identified in the committee's history and reported in error for FY10. For the record, the total number of recommendations for the “life of the committee” are 0 recommendations from FY1997-FY2002, 10 recommendations from FY2003-FY2008, 15 recommendations for FY2009, 41 recommendations for FY2010, 41 recommendations for 2011, 69 recommendations for FY2012, 69 recommendations for FY2013, 98 recommendations for FY2014, 7 recommendations for FY2015, 23 recommendations for FY2016.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	90.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	NA	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	0.00%	Access Publications	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	NA	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	N/A
Agency Feedback Comment*	Administrative Rulemaking of committee recommendations.	Narrative Description*	The committee serves as a forum for the study of problems relating to poultry health and as the need arises, to make specific recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture concerning ways in which the Department may assist the industry in solving these problems. The committee serves as a liaison between the U.S. Animal Health Association and the NPIP. It plays a critical role in the planning, organizing and conducting of the Biennial conference of the NPIP. The committee may appoint subcommittees or working groups as needed to help the department develop active surveillance programs for industry disruptive poultry diseases.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$0.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$0.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$10,486.00	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$42,231.00
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$6,035.72	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$16,429.58
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$0.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$1,631.89	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$7,702.78
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$98.37	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$0.00
11. Total Costs	$20,270.40	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$116,967.36
Date Cost Last Modified	9/9/2025 2:58 PM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	28.00
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	7.00	Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks

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