SPRINGFIELD — The deliberate or accidental introduction of a highly contagious foreign animal disease, such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), into the U.S. will have an immediate and drastic effect on agriculture.
In a first-of-its-kind study funded by Pork Checkoff, a Center for Agricultural and Rural Development Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (CARD FAPRI) model estimated revenue losses to the pork and beef industries resulting from the introduction of FMD in the U.S. would average $12.9 billion per year. Total cumulative revenue losses across the commodities modeled over a 10-year period was $199.9 billion including $57 billion for pork, $71.23 billion for beef, $0.98 billion for poultry, $44 billion for corn, $24.9 billion for soybeans and $1.8 billion for wheat.
The Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), in conjunction with National Pork Board and the Illinois Department of Agriculture invited ag stakeholders, state and local officials from across Illinois to discuss FMD preparedness on Tuesday, March 28 in Springfield.
Increasing foreign animal disease awareness and preparedness has been a pork industry priority and has resulted in the development and delivery of a unique tabletop exercise training tool for pork producers, veterinarians and stakeholders at the state and local level. The tabletop is an interactive training tool that utilizes a model of rural America including farms, livestock and a small town to help participants visualize what would occur locally during an animal disease disaster.
The exercise walked participants through a FMD outbreak focusing on the effects at the local level and the communications and operations that must occur to contain, manage and eradicate the disease while maintaining business continuity to help stabilize the agricultural economy.
Participants rapidly became a part of the response effort from diagnosing the first case, mobilizing the local response, controlling and eradicating the disease, and getting back to “business as usual.”
“The FMD crisis drill was the first step in properly preparing for this type of situation,” said Jennifer Tirey, IPPA Executive Director. “Developing these critical relationships and contacts within our state is vital to having effective statewide coordination.”
“It’s crucial that the industry be prepared for an outbreak of FMD should it occur.” said Dr. Mark Ernst, Illinois State Veterinarian. “Having an interactive tabletop exercise where the effects of an outbreak can be seen and stakeholders from across the industry can collaborate on a plan is a remarkable asset to Illinois.”
— Illinois Pork Producers Association
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