Animal Disease Traceability & Potato Board Appointments

December 28th the USDA will publish its final rule outlining animal disease traceability for livestock moving interstate in the Federal Register. According to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this final rule differs from what was first proposed three years ago, and will allow the United States to have a flexible and effective animal disease traceability system, while still helping to maintain the economic vitality of producers and livestock businesses. USDA Chief Veterinarian Officer John Clifford offers advice for cattle producers on complying with the final rule.

CLIFFORD: Unless otherwise exempt, cattle and bison must be officially identified and accompanied by an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection, or other movement document. Beef cattle under 18 months of age, unless they are moved interstate for shows, exhibitions, rodeos, or recreational events are exempt from the official identification requirement in this rule.

Clifford says that sheep, goat, poultry and swine producers won’t see much of a change from what they are currently doing. To help producers understand what they need to do to comply with the regulations the USDA has a series of fact sheets targeted for each species on their website.

Four Washington growers have been appointed to serve on the National Potato Promotion Board - Kristi Gundersen of Bow, Phillip Mehlenbacher of Burbank, John Stahl of Ritzville, and Marvin Wollman from Warden, who has been reappointed. Each member will serve a three-year term of office beginning March 1. The National Potato Promotion Board represents more than 2,500 potato growers and handlers across the country, and is the nation’s potato marketing and research organization.

I’m Lacy Gray and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Ag Information Network.