Washington, D.C. - Today, sponsors Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., and Sen. 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., introduced legislation to protect the U.S. from the introduction of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) from Argentina.
The bill prohibits the importation of Argentine ruminants and swine, or any fresh, chilled or frozen meat or product of any ruminant swine born, raised or slaughtered in Argentina until the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture certifies to Congress that every region of Argentina is free of FMD without vaccination.
"We especially want to thank Senator Johnson and Senator Enzi for taking the lead on this important matter," said R-CALF USA President/Region VI Director Max Thornsberry, a Missouri veterinarian who also chairs the group's animal health committee. "The USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) had planned to reopen our border to these suspect products, despite the fact that Argentina detected a case of FMD as recently as 2006.
"FMD is recognized internationally as one of the most contagious diseases of cloven-hoofed animals and it bears the potential to cause severe economic losses to U.S. cattle producers," he continued. "This piece of common-sense legislation recognizes that the most effective prevention measure against this highly contagious disease is to ensure that it is not imported into the U.S. from countries where FMD is known to exist or was recently detected."
On March 6, 2007, R-CALF USA filed comprehensive comments in opposition to USDA's Jan. 5, 2007, proposed rule to change the FMD disease status of the Patagonia South Region of Argentina. R-CALF USA's membership-developed policy states that the organization "opposes the weakening of any animal health or food safety standard concerning the importation of cattle or beef into the United States."
"It is comforting to know that at least the legislative branch of our federal government plainly recognizes the obvious risk these imports from Argentina would pose to the U.S.," Thornsberry concluded.
In letters to Johnson and Enzi, R-CALF USA said it stands ready to assist in building both industry and congressional support for this important disease-prevention measure and thanked the Senators for initiating this needed legislation to protect the U.S. cattle industry.
Note: To view R-CALF USA's letters to Johnson and Enzi, visit the "Animal Health" link at www.r-calfusa.com.
