Spring 2025

This year’s Advocacy Day brought together more than 130 participants for nearly 200 meetings—our highest number yet! Participants championed key policy priorities, including maintaining the federal research enterprise, passing a new farm bill with improvements for animal agriculture, and gaining support for the Rural Veterinary Workforce Act. The day began with a keynote from Dr. Legend Thurman, a veterinarian, best-selling author, and passionate policy advocate. She energized attendees with her insights on advancing animal welfare and agriculture policy through a balanced, ethical lens. Read more



Budget Reconciliation Resolution Passes

On April 10, the House narrowly agreed to a budget resolution from the Senate (216–214) to unlock the reconciliation process. The resolution orders committees in the House and Senate to come up with significant cuts to broad areas of funding. The committees worked during the two-week Easter break and specific legislative language was released this week (read the portion from the House Education and Workforce Committee here). As expected, the language makes significant changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and eliminates the Grad Plus Program. It also sets overall caps for student loans. AAVMC will continue to analyze the text and weigh in with the committee.

Each year, federal departments must return their budget proposals for the next fiscal year to the White House Office of Management and Budget. These "passbacks" are then used to compile the administration's budget request to Congress. A recently leaked document points to large cuts for the US Department of Health and Human Services, including a nearly 40 percent cut for the National Institutes of Health. The document is not final and, while Congress has the final say on appropriations, this is a difficult beginning to the fiscal year 2026 appropriations process. Read more

According to several reports, the US Department of Agriculture plans to announce large reductions in its workforce through layoffs and retirements. This announcement will be accompanied by a plan to move most agency functions to three "hubs" outside the Washington, D.C. area. Details on these plans are expected to be released in the next few weeks. This move may be a larger version of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's move to Kansas City during the first Trump administration, which caused a staff shortage for several years. Read more

Administration Announces Phase Out of Animal Testing

The Food and Drug Administration and other federal agencies are taking rapid steps to end animal testing, in some cases without any viable alternatives. This could have significant impact on research programs at several AAVMC member institutions. Read more

Department of Agriculture Appoints Dr. Jaye Hamby as NIFA Director

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) appointed Jaye L. Hamby as director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). As director, Dr. Hamby will lead USDA’s efforts to advance agricultural innovation and community outreach and foster the next generation of agricultural leaders.

“Dr. Hamby’s deep-rooted experience in agriculture—from hands-on work in farming to decades of leadership in research and innovation—makes him the ideal choice to lead NIFA,” said US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. “His commitment to advancing agricultural research, extension, and education will help drive solutions to the industry’s most pressing challenges and ensure the continued strength and global competitiveness of US agriculture.” Read more

Advocacy Letters



The AAVMC continues to work closely with organizations interested in advancing academic veterinary medicine, food security, and public health. The letters below reflect some of that recent activity.

• Community letter to appropriators asking them to reject proposed cuts to HHS
• Letter supporting funding for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at NIH
• Letter to Congress in Support of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program
• Community Support Letter for FY 2026 funding for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Final FY 2026 Ad Hoc Group NIH Funding Recommendation

AAVMC Governmental Affairs



Please contact Kevin Cain, AAVMC Senior Director for Governmental Affairs, with any comments, questions, or suggestions about our program.

AAVMC Newsletters

The AAVMC strives to create a culture of diversity and inclusion in every dimension of academic veterinary medicine. To foster this goal, the photographs and illustrations in our communications programs are aspirational, and do not necessarily reflect the levels of diversity and inclusion that currently exist.

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