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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July
17, 2008
For
more information contact
Margaret Nachtigall
at:
605-342-0429
or margaret.sdsga@midconetwork.com
www.southdakotastockgrowers.org
S.D.
Stockgrowers Support Foot and Mouth Legislation in the House
The
South Dakota Stockgrowers Association (SDSGA) commends Congresswoman Stephanie
Herseth-Sandlin’s for taking a leading role in helping prevent the
introduction of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) into
U.S.
cattle herds. Herseth-Sandlin, along with Congresswoman Barbara Cubin (R-WY)
introduced the bipartisan legislation yesterday titled the Foot and Mouth
Disease Prevention Act of 2008.
According
to SDSGA Vice President Kenny Fox,
Belvidere
,
S.D.
, USDA is considering a plan to allow importation of beef from select regions in
Argentina
, even though the country is not a FMD-free nation. “USDA is jumping the gun.
Argentina
has not been declared FMD-free, in fact USDA has not even assessed the
country’s FMD status since a 2006 outbreak. It is not prudent to allow
importation of beef or live cattle from a country known to have a devastating
disease like FMD.”
Fox
says that FMD could wreak havoc on the
U.S.
cattle herd. “Foot and Mouth Disease is a very contagious disease, and would
be devastating to this country. There is absolutely no reason to take any chance
of exposing our livestock herds to this disease. It is always better to prevent
the introduction of a disease than to try and deal with it once it’s here.”
The
Stockgrowers are encouraged to learn that Congresswoman Herseth-Sandlin shares
their concern for the health of the
U.S.
cattle herd. “We really appreciate our Congresswoman for taking the
initiative to introduce this legislation to try and prevent the so-called
‘regionalization’ of
Argentina
that USDA has considered. We agree with Congresswoman Herseth-Sandlin and the
other supporters of the legislation that
Argentina
should not be allowed to send us beef or cattle until they are FMD-free without
vaccination.”
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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July
10, 2008
For
more information contact
Margaret Nachtigall
at:
605-342-0429
or margaret.sdsga@midconetwork.com
www.southdakotastockgrowers.org
South Dakota
Stockgrowers Thank Senator Johnson
South Dakota
Stockgrowers Association is pleased to be able to thank Senator Johnson D-SD and
Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., along with co-sponsors Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., Sen.
John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M.,
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., and Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo.
for introducing a bill which will protect the US cattle herd from the
introduction of foot-and-mouth (FMD) disease by imports from Argentina.
Argentina
has recently proposed exporting cattle from the Patagonia area of
Argentina
, although the country itself is not free of FMD. The newly introduced
legislation would prevent importation of ruminants and swine, or any fresh,
chilled or frozen meat or product of any ruminant swine born, raised or
slaughtered in any part of
Argentina
until the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture certifies to Congress that every region
of
Argentina
is free of FMD without vaccination.
Senator
Johnson stated that “Foot and Mouth Disease is a highly contagious and
destructive disease, and we cannot risk the health of our livestock herds for
questionable imports from
Argentina
. Farmers and ranchers across
South Dakota
remain rightly concerned about the USDA’s proposal. The bill introduced today
will ensure
Argentina
is free of the disease before any livestock cross our borders.”
The
Senator further stated “I have listened to farmers and ranchers across
South Dakota
, and the USDA proposal to allow in these imports is flawed. The risk is
too high, and the economic impacts of the disease in the
United States
could cost the economy billions of dollars.”
According to a
letter sent to Senator Johnson on July 8, 2008, South Dakota Stockgrowers
Association said “We believe that either an entire country is FMD free,
or not…there should be no regionalization. We do not support importation of
meat or livestock from
Argentina
until they achieve FMD-free status without vaccination. Even when this is
achieved, we do not believe that importation should immediately resume, but that
there should be a “waiting period” to ensure that the disease doesn’t
reappear unexpectedly.”
Once again Senator
Johnson has stepped up to the plate in support of livestock producers in
South Dakota
and the
United States
and we thank him.
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