7/16/2008 11:35:00 AM Argentina livestock health bill introduced
From News Reports
Three of the regions Senators addressed importing meat products from Argentina this month with new legislations.
Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson and Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi recently introduced new legislation prohibiting the importation of certain meat products from any region of Argentina until the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) can certify to Congress the entire country is free of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
"Foot and Mouth Disease is one of the most contagious diseases for animals commonly used for food products," said Senator Nelson. "It also has the potential to create great economic losses wherever it is spread. It is for this reason that I support this ban until we can be sure that all Argentinean meat is safe - the risk is otherwise just too great."
In both 2001 and 2006 Argentina reported outbreaks of FMD with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). These relapsed outbreaks have occurred in the northern territories of the country. Argentina insists that shipments of its beef or lamb from South Patagonia, however, pose absolutely no threat to the health of the U.S. beef and sheep industries.
Many in the livestock industry, however, are concerned opening the U.S. to shipments of Argentinean meat will put animals at risk of contracting FMD. The U.S. has not had a case of FMD since 1929. However, because FMD is highly contagious and can rapidly spread through a region if control and eradication practices are not implemented upon its detection, it is considered by the American Veterinary Medical Association to be the most economically devastating of all livestock diseases.
The bill is entitled the Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act of 2008 (S. 3238)
