The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Veterinary Services underwent a significant reorganization five years ago, and while many positive changes resulted from that reorganization, Jack Shere, veterinary services deputy administrator, announced additional changes that became effective Oct. 15 in keeping with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s goal of making USDA more effective and efficient.

Shere said on the import/export side, the agency plans to keep the service center structure in place because it has worked well for customers. However, it is consolidating six centers into four to achieve management efficiencies and reduce the administrative footprint.

“The number of employees supporting our import/export activities will remain unchanged, and current offices will remain open,” Shere said in a notice to stakeholders. “With four centers, we can continue to offer the full array of services to importers and exporters while leveraging expertise that has been cultivated at respective centers over the last five years specific to products, live animals, germplasm and embryos and pet travel certification. Where necessary, [Veterinary Services] stands ready to provide endorsement services at the point of need to help facilitate exports and best meet customer needs.”

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Shere also said the agency plans to reinstate an Area Veterinarian in Charge (AVIC) as the primary point of contact for each state, which state partners had requested. “The AVICs will work directly with state veterinarians servicing as their primary point of contact for animal health questions and strengthening lines of communication,” he said. “We’ll still have district offices, but much like the service centers, we’re moving from six to four.”

Shere offered assurances that the changes won’t require staff relocations but simply consolidating expertise and shifting reporting structures so the agency can provide better customer service.

Veterinary Services is also renaming its three primary units to better reflect this new structure. The current Surveillance Preparedness & Response Services (SPRS), National Import Export Services (NIES) and Science Technology & Analysis Services (STAS) units will be replaced by Field Operations, Strategy & Policy and Diagnostics & Biology.

Field Operations will account for the bulk of Veterinary Services' workforce — comprising approximately 1,150 positions — and represents its “boots on the ground.” The unit will encapsulate both the service centers and the district offices as well as port services and emergency response efforts. Team members at the local level will continue to meet with farmers and ranchers on a regular basis, as they do now.  Dr. Brian McCluskey, who has been leading SPRS, will lead Field Operations, Shere said.

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Strategy & Policy will be comprised of approximately 316 positions and will consolidate trade policy, select agent work and commodity animal health centers, along with the Center for Epidemiology & Animal Health. Placing these groups together will reinforce linkages and ensure that everyone has the full frame of reference to establish program direction. Strategy & Policy will be led by Dr. Rosemary Sifford, who currently leads NIES.

Diagnostics & Biologics will encompass the agency’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories and the Center for Veterinary Biologics in Ames, Iowa. Dr. Beth Lautner, who has been leading STAS, will oversee this work and approximately 448 employees. “As the National Bio & Agro-Defense Facility moves ahead, this alignment will help us prepare for the increased diagnostics and scientific capabilities this facility will bring,” Shere noted.

Shere explained that the changes — many of which are internal facing — better position the program to meet the increasing demands for its services. “I know change of any kind can be unsettling, but I ask that you give [Veterinary Services] the opportunity to prove the value of these changes," he said.

“Having worked many years in the field and more recently at headquarters, I know firsthand the value of these changes and the need to ensure everyone is connected,” he added.