USDA To Test Animal Health Emergency Management System
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will conduct a test exercise this fiscal year of its Regional Emergency Animal Disease Eradication Organization (READEO) system.
- Topics: Article, Emergency Rescue Techniques
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will conduct a test exercise this fiscal year of its Regional Emergency Animal Disease Eradication Organization (READEO) system.
“If an exotic disease such as hog cholera or highly pathogenic avian influenza were to breach U.S. borders, our READEO teams would be called into action,” said Craig A. Reed, administrator for APHIS, a part of USDA’s marketing and regulatory programs mission area. “Regular practice ensures that the system is working and ready.”
If a foreign animal disease became established in American livestock or poultry, the economic consequences to producers and consumers would be severe. For example, APHIS’ eradication of a highly pathogenic avian influenza in the United States, following an outbreak in 1983-84, resulted in the destruction of more than 17 million birds and cost taxpayers nearly $65 million.
“In recent years we have seen animal diseases wreak havoc on other parts of the world: bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Great Britain, foot-and-mouth disease in Taiwan, and hog cholera in the Netherlands and the Dominican Republic,” said Reed. “Again and again, we are reminded of how important it is to be prepared TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com. Already have an account?Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.
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