| Agricultural Biosecurity |
| Saturday, 26 January 2002 | |
 IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURAL BIOSECURITY Biodefense Reference Library: In The Spotlight January 23, 2002: UK Telegraph: 10 million animals were slaughtered in foot and mouth cull: [Edited] · The number of animals slaughtered in the foot and mouth outbreak could be as high as 10 million - more than twice as high as official Government figures. · The Government said that 4,068,000 animals were culled between the first case on Feb 20 and the 2,030th and last case detected on Sept 30. But the commission says that the true total is 10,849,000. · The official figures do not include two million animals slaughtered for welfare reasons such as dwindling feed and space. The National Farmers Union included these in its estimates. · But according to Jane Connor, economic forecaster at the Meat and Livestock Commission, many more animals were overlooked because they were either killed with their mothers - and counted as only one animal - or because they were killed after foot and mouth had closed the market for them, in which case they were not counted at all. · According to her calculations, at least 1.2 lambs "at foot" were killed with each breeding sheep - amounting to four million lambs slaughtered but not counted. · And the official toll of 595,000 cattle did not include 100,000 calves and 50,000 calves close to birth that were killed with them, the commission said. About 500,000 lambs were killed in the light lamb disposal plan because they were considered unsellable. AGRICULTURAL SECURITY: VETERINARY AND SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS OUTLINE PRIORITY ISSUES Agriculture is one of Americas critical infrastructures. It requires a domestic preparedness program to protect an industry worth hundreds of billions of dollars that directly or indirectly employs millions of people. Significant progress has been made since September 11, but concerns remain that the deliberate introduction of a foreign animal disease (FAD) in multiple locations and/or with multiple pathogens could overwhelm an emergency response system. In this context, it is crucial that solid contingency plans are established that encompass the capacity to handle any threat against the United States food and agricultural system. Veterinary and scientific experts have presented the following priority issues: 1. The immediate need for FAD training in schools and colleges of veterinary medicine and continuing education programs for veterinarians in the field. The lack of emphasis in training for the recognition of FADs has compromised the capacity of many field veterinarians to recognize the diseases that were once a scourge of livestock and which initially led to the development of the profession itself [1]. This need has prompted the development of the Humanitarian Resource Institute Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Center, which provides access to online educational resources for both medical and veterinary professionals [2]. 2. Consistent required reporting of zoonotic animal diseases, especially bioterrorist agents, by veterinary health officials to public health officials in all 50 states [3]. 3. A FAD response plan that includes a vaccination strategy and capacity for rapid restoration of international exports to minimize potential widespread economic damage (constant with needs outlined at the OIE/FAO International Scientific Conference on foot and mouth disease 17-18 April 2001) [4]. 4. The need for close coordination and support of the United States, Canadian, and Mexican governments in the event that a FAD outbreak occurs first in the geographic region of North America [5]. Domestic preparedness includes awareness of the threat, a unified collaborative strategic plan, and commitment of government, livestock industries, farmers organizations, and the general public [6]. References: [1] Corrie Brown, Threat of Accidental Foreign Animal Disease Introduction, AVMA Annual Meeting, July 23, 2000 [2] Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Center, Humanitarian Resource Institute Biodefense Reference Library. [3] Ann M Fitzpatrick, Jeff B Bender. Survey of chief livestock officials regarding bioterrorism preparedness in the United States. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, November 1, 2000. [4] OIE/FAO International Scientific Conference on foot and mouth disease 17-18 April 2001. [5] Tripartite Exercise 2000, United States foreign animal disease response simulation exercise final reports and summaries, Humanitarian Resource Institute. [6] Stephen M Apatow. Agricultural security and emergency preparedness: protecting one of Americas critical infrastructures. HRIBRL Discussion Paper ASEP-2001-12, Humanitarian Resource Institute, December 2001. Source: Stephen M Apatow. Impact of the foot and mouth epidemic on the equestrian industry in the UK - a reference point for the United States. HRIBRL Discussion Paper FMDEI-2001-12, Humanitarian Resource Institute, December 2001, pp. 6-8. The Biodefense Reference Library is a collaborative initiative of international medical, veterinary and scientific experts to share information and enhance academic discussion of issues associated with preparedness, response, mitigation and policy. For additional information, visit: http://www.humanitarian.net/biodefense |
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