Please consider joining us for the free 2½ day Tribal Nations Plant and Animal Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Training, in Miami, Florida at the Miccosukee Hotel on September 9th, 2025.

Tribal Nation program personnel are eligible for travel reimbursement including airfare, ride share, and host hotel accommodations.

The training hosts are USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the Southeast American Indian Studies Program, and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. This training will promote awareness of plant and animal health threats that could impact tribal lands and agriculture and emphasize the importance of developing Tribal Nation animal and plant health incident emergency response plans.

Training participants will learn about:

• USDA APHIS programs and services;
• Livestock and wildlife diseases;
• Plant pests and diseases;
• Agency surveillance and emergency response;
• USDA Emergency Support Functions; and
• Animal and plant health funding opportunities

Agenda topics include overviews and updates on:

• Wild bird highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), New World Screwworm, African Swine Fever (ASF), Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), and other animal diseases;
• APHIS programs – Veterinary Services (VS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), Animal Care (AC), and Wildlife Services (WS);
• Sub-agency programs – National Rabies Management Program, National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP), and Plant Pest and Disease Management and Prevention Program (PPDMPP); and
• If available, Tribal Nation programs and projects.

The target audience is Tribal Nation personnel in agriculture, wildlife, natural resources, forestry, animal control, all-hazards emergency management, and other related Tribal enterprises.

For reimbursement, airfare and hotel must be booked through the travel point of contact.

Travel funding is limited and is reserved on first-come basis for new training participants, up to two representatives per Tribal Nation. Some restrictions apply.

For travel arrangements please use this hyperlink or contact:

Mary Beth Locklear, Director
Reserve Travel Funding
Mary.Locklear@uncp.edu (910) 775-4020
Southeast American Indians Studies. University of North Carolina, Pembroke

Please let me know if you have any questions and we look forward to seeing you at the training.

Thanks,

Andrew W. Hubble
ONTL Assistant Director, Wildlife Biologist
Legislative and Public Affairs (LPA) | Office of National Tribal Liaison (ONTL)

APHIS.UDSA.gov

Dear Tribal Leader Letter
FL APHIS Tribal Nations Plant and Animal Health Training information
Emergency Preparedness and Response Training