United States-Political attack on Argentine farming.
Monday, Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., and Rep. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., reintroduced bipartisan legislation to keep America’s food supply safe while protecting the country’s livestock industry from the devastating effects an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) would bring.
Currently, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is considering a plan to open the U.S. protein market to select regions of Argentina, despite the fact that USDA has not conducted an updated safety assessment in Argentina since a 2006 outbreak of FMD.
The Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act of 2009 prohibits the importation of Argentine ruminants and swine, or any fresh, chilled or frozen meat or product of any ruminant or swine born, raised or slaughtered in Argentina until the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture certifies to Congress that every region of Argentina is free of FMD without vaccination.
"The thought of a Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in the United States is chilling, and I trust the USDA shares that opinion," Rep. Lummis said. "In a time of growing unease about the safety of products we import from around the world, we all must be vigilant in protecting the health of our domestic food supply and our ranching industry. Any decision on the importation of cattle, sheep and swine from Argentina should be based on sound science and recent data. I believe current science proves that Argentina does not meet the necessary international criteria to ensure their herds are free from foot and mouth."
"Exposing livestock herds to Foot and Mouth Disease would be devastating to livestock producers in South Dakota and across the country, especially during these tough economic times," Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. "America has the safest food supply in the world, and we must do whatever we can to continue that tradition. While I welcome USDA’s decision to review the 2005 safety assessment, we must keep the pressure on. Blocking USDA’s plan is the right thing for American ranchers, it’s the right thing for American consumers, and it’s the right thing for rural economies. I’m proud to once again work with a diverse coalition of my colleagues and industry organizations to promote this common-sense legislation that ensures our food supply is kept safe and ranching remains a viable way of life for years to come."
"America’s family farmers and ranchers produce the safest, most abundant food supply in the world. FMD presents a very real threat to American agriculture and its introduction into the United States can and must be prevented," said Tom Buis, President of the National Farmers Union. "Requiring a country like Argentina, with such an apparent problem with this devastating disease, to prove FMD-free status is an acceptable standard to trade. Opening our borders to Argentine ruminant products is a risk that American producers simply cannot afford.
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R.M. Thornsberry, President of R-CALF USA Board of Directors said, "Foot and Mouth Disease is recognized internationally as one of the most contagious diseases of cloven-hoofed animals and it bears the potential to cause severe economic losses to U.S. cattle producers. R-CALF USA stands ready to assist you in building both industry and congressional support for this important disease-preventing measure. Thank you for reintroducing this needed legislation in the 111th Congress to protect the U.S. cattle industry from the unnecessary and dangerous exposure to FMD from Argentinean imports."
"The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association applauds your leadership in introducing the Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act," said Jon Wooster, President of the U.S. Cattlemen’s Associaton. "This bill would prohibit the importation of ruminants and swine and fresh or frozen ruminant and pork products from any region of Argentina until the United States Department of Agriculture can certify to Congress that Argentina is free of Foot and Mouth Disease. This bill is extremely important as it protects the U.S. cattle herd from FMD. If FMD infiltrates our borders, entire herds would be destroyed leaving ranchers in financial ruin. Furthermore, the scare would immediately shut global markets to U.S. beef products, a move that would have a disastrous economic effect on rural economies."
"South Dakota Farmers Union fully supports the Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act of 2009 to protect America’s food supply from contamination by this devastating disease," Doug Sombke, President of the South Dakota Farmers Union said. "America has the safest food supply in the world, and we must do whatever we can to continue that tradition. We simply cannot allow contaminated cattle into the United States."
"During the first half century of our association’s 137 year history we faced the ongoing fear of the spread of this highly contagious disease in the United States," Jim Magagna, Executive Vice President of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association said. "The Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act represents a realistic approach to regionalization of Argentina that protects our domestic industry while honoring our nation’s commitment to balanced global trade."
United States has been free of FMD since 1929 and is free of FMD without vaccination. According to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, however, the economic impacts of FMD in the U.S. could cost the economy billions of dollars in the first year. A 2001 outbreak in England led to the destruction of 6 million animals and cost the economy nearly $20 billion.
In January, Senators Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Mike Enzi (R-WY) introduced an identical bill in the Senate. Both versions enjoy support by a variety of industry groups including: the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, R-CALF, National Farmers Union, the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, Dakota Rural Action, and the Wyoming Wool Growers Association.
