APHIS

Hi, Dr. Hallie Hasel here. I’ve been a field veterinary medical officer for USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for the past eight years. I work in western Kansas, an area with very large dairies, feedlots and some swine operations. I’m a veterinarian because I have a desire to...

Hello, I’m Dr. Suelee Robbe Austerman. I work at USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. Agriculture has always been my first love. I grew up on a ranch, but like many girls of my generation, there were limited opportunities to become part of the operation. During college, I...

Does your job relate to the activities you enjoy in your personal life? Mine does. In fact, no matter what challenges I’ve faced over the years, I’ve been able to stay sane because I am doing what I love to do, and I keep a positive mental attitude.

Hi, I’m Dr. Sunny Geiser and I’m in the Area Veterinarian in Charge (AVIC) trainee program in USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Western Region. I’m currently stationed in Fort Collins, CO. I grew up with horses and livestock and always enjoyed working with them. The medical...

In a previous blog post, we took a look at the training of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Health Safeguarding Specialists (PHSS) at The Professional Development Center (PDC). Now, let’s meet some of the faces behind the manuals and microscopes: the 2011 class of Basic...

Today is World Rabies Day. Scientists, public health professionals, veterinarians, wildlife biologists, and others from around the globe will celebrate World Rabies Day by raising awareness about efforts to rid the world of rabies. Rabies is one of the oldest known diseases, yet it remains a...

I’m Dr. Beverly Schmitt. I work for USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, where I’m the Director of the Diagnostic Virology Lab (DVL). I’ve been with NVSL for 19 years. Before I came to APHIS, I served as the virology lab...

National Preparedness Month is a good opportunity to reflect on progress towards ensuring the security of our Nation’s food supply. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers defense of the food and agriculture sector critical– all the way from farm to fork. Some animal or plant diseases...

I’m Brian McCluskey, Chief Epidemiologist for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services. I’ve been with APHIS for more than 20 years and served in many different capacities. I decided to become a veterinarian during my junior year in college, as a way to combine my...

U.S. cattle ranching has evolved over time to bring together the cultural traditions of the West with new technology to produce quality U.S. livestock products. But did you ever think that these ways of the west could benefit a new frontier halfway around the world? In 2007, USDA’s Foreign...