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Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson cosponsored bipartisan legislation yesterday with South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson and Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi that would prohibit 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 Organisation 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.
"As a veterinarian, it is my job to ensure the health and safety of Nebraska's livestock industry. Until Argentina can prove it has the safeguards needed to eliminate FMD from its borders and no longer suffer any relapses of infection, we need to protect our livestock first and prevent any possible spread of this contagious and devastating disease," said Nebraska State Veterinarian, Dr. Dennis A. Hughes. "This legislation is essential to ensuring the U.S. continues to remain FMD free."
Senator Nelson and several of his colleagues sent a letter in March to USDA Secretary Schafer expressing concern over the proposed rule to deem southern Patagonia as FMD free. The Department proceeded with its rule despite concerns from members of Congress.
"USDA really needs to get it right this time - there is no room for error," said Nelson. "I've seen enough these last few years to know to be skeptical of any actions made by the Department without double checking them first. I want to be absolutely certain that importing meat from any part of Argentina will not put the vital American beef industry at risk. That very high burden of proof falls to USDA and I am just not prepared to say that they’ve met it at this time."
The bill is entitled the Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act of 2008 (S. 3238).
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