Helping Livestock Producers to Prepare For Disease Emergencies

Helping Livestock Producers to Prepare For Disease Emergencies

Being prepared and making disaster plans, helps us ready for the unexpected or emergencies. The Pork Checkoff is working with state checkoff boards, leading a series of tabletop drills that simulate a Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak. Pork Checkoff spokesperson Cindy Cunningham says this project is reaching out to state and local officials.

Cunningham: "One thing to keep in mind is that Foot and Mouth Disease has not been found in the U.S. since 1921. And although there are many programs in place to ensure that it is not brought into this country — there is always that possibility. There is a real threat for not only the pork industry — but for all of the livestock industry. So beef, dairy pork and lamb have chosen to work together through a team called the FMD Cross Species Team to make sure that our response plans are tied together and we are partnering with each other to deal with this issue should we have to deal with it here in the U.S."

Livestock producers are urged to learn more about emergency preparedness.

Cunningham: "If you have questions about foreign animal disease or specifically foot and mouth disease and the impact it may have on your farm, you can go to pork.org to get more information about what you need to be doing today on your farm to prepare so that in the future if we were to deal with this issue, you would be one step ahead of the game."

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