U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

The USDA plays a vital role in pandemic and outbreak prevention by monitoring animal and plant health to detect emerging threats before they spread. By identifying and controlling zoonotic diseases—those that can jump from animals to humans—the USDA helps prevent potential pandemics at their source. Through surveillance, rapid response efforts, and research into diagnostics and vaccines, the USDA supports a national biosecurity framework that protects both the food supply and public health, ultimately helping to keep people safe.

Over the past decade, the USDA has responded to several critical threats to human and animal health, including outbreaks of avian influenza, African swine fever, and highly pathogenic Newcastle disease. In response to the ongoing H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks, the USDA has led national efforts in surveillance, containment, and depopulation of affected flocks, while also working closely with public health agencies to monitor for potential spillover into humans.