July 27, 2007

 

Oklahoma's traceback programme aims to prevent livestock disease spread

 

 

Oklahoma's livestock producers have been urged to register their premises as part of a new, voluntary, animal disease traceback program called "Locate in 48" launched Thursday (July 26) by the state Agriculture, Food and Forestry

 

State officials hope to build a confidential database that contains the name of the producer, the types of animals raised on the property and its exact location, said Becky Brewer, state veterinarian.

 

The goal is to halt the spread of animal disease and quickly identify the source, Brewer said at a news conference at Midwest City's Reed Center, where the Oklahoma Cattlemen's annual convention began Thursday.

 

The cost to agriculture of battling animal disease outbreaks, such as mad cow disease, has been put at US$1 million "per minute", Brewer said.

 

The programme is part of a nationwide effort funded by the US Department of Agriculture. It is also in coordination by Terry Peach, state secretary of agriculture, and Scott Dewald, executive vice president of the Cattlemen's Association.

 

The database, however, will be built from producer information can be accessed only by state officials and only in times of emergency or disease outbreak, Peach said.

 

Only about 10 percent of Oklahoma's 80,000 livestock premises have been registered with the state Agriculture Department to date and officials hope Locate 48 will encourage 50 percent of the livestock producers within a year and 90 percent within two years, Peach said.

 

The advisory committee that helped create Oklahoma's Locate 48 programme comprised virtually every livestock and farm-related organization in the state. The group was introduced en masse at the news conference.

 

Dewald said the programme seeks to protect large livestock segments such as the cattle industry, which he cited as a US$2 billion industry in Oklahoma.

 

However, agriculture officials acknowledge that many producers have a healthy fear of the new project. Brewer said that no livestock producers will be held liable for animal disease nor is there any cost to participate.

 

But that still won't stem questions about the government implementing an animal ID program as the next step. Brewer, in counter, said the programme would enable the state to protect its animals from health risks. 

 

Misunderstandings about the premise ID program will be overcome when producers learn about its purpose and how it will be administered, said Terry Detrick, vice president of the Oklahoma Farmers Union and a member of the advisory committee.