Sunday, March 18, 2001
Two area agricultural officials say they are confident that strict U.S. controls are sufficient to curb the spread of disease.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- Graphic images of farmers disposing of destroyed livestock in Great Britain have raised questions about the threat of foot-and-mouth and mad-cow diseases here.
Ohio and Pennsylvania agriculture experts say preventing the spread of these diseases, and many others among livestock in the United States, is an ongoing effort.
"I have been asked if we are increasing our diligence, and my answer to that has been no," said Bruce Schmucker, a Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture veterinarian. "Assuring that our protocols are sound is a daily effort."
Not uncommon: These diseases occur all the time in various parts of the world, Schmucker said. "It is devastating news in the United Kingdom and Europe because of the commerce. We are involved there. There is foot-and-mouth disease in South America, but we don't have the commerce with them that we do with Europe.
"It's in Africa, too, but there families only have one or two cows. If a cow has foot-and-mouth, it means they'll give a little less milk. It's not a devastating economic problem for that family."
Nancy Cope, Columbiana County Farm Bureau organization director, said some area farmers have been asked about the threat of the two livestock diseases.
"They are assuring people the food supply is safe," Cope said. "They are confident that the stiff controls the U.S. has in place -- many which are not in effect in other countries -- are sufficient."
Joining forces: Information provided to the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation from the USDA and National Cattleman's Beef Association states the two organizations have joined forces with American Veterinary Medical Association, American Farm Bureau Federation and various food production and export entities to ensure enforcement of the strict U.S. standards.
In a joint statement, cattlemen and veterinarians note that active surveillance in the U.S. has not revealed a single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, (mad cow disease), due to strict enforcement of import restrictions, compliance with a Food and Drug Administration ban on certain types of animal feed, and continued support from producers and consumers for active USDA BSE surveillance.
Schmucker said that although images of incinerated sheep and cattle in the United Kingdom are disturbing, there has not been a verified case of foot-and-mouth disease in the United States since 1929.
The BSE and foot-and-mouth disease both affect cattle, but the two diseases have very different sources and different effects, he said.
BSE causes damage to the brain, and there is some evidence, although not yet proved, that BSE can spread to the food supply, Schmucker said.
Economic disaster: Foot-and-mouth does not affect humans but spreads quickly and can have a devastating economic effect, he said. Foot-and-mouth disease can afflict any animal with a cloven hoof, including cows, sheep, swine and goats, Schmucker said.
Destroying herds helps contain the disease by curtailing the rapid spread, he said. Although animals would eventually recover from the disease, their productivity, ability to gain weight, etc. are affected. "They're never the same," Schmucker said. "It's a matter of economics and productivity. Farmers don't want beef cattle or pigs that don't gain weight, nor dairy cows with low milk production."
Schmucker said the USDA veterinary community applauds the United Kingdom's efforts, and the United States' precautions, such as questioning those who have traveled in Europe and requiring people who have been on farms to disinfect their shoes.
"They're doing exactly the right thing," he said.
XMore information is available at the following Web sites: National Cattleman's Beef Association, www.beef.org and www.bseinfo.org; USDA, www.usda.gov; and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, www.pda.state.pa.us.