07/25/07 Idaho gets brucellosis free status

The US Department of Agriculture has upgraded Idaho to a brucellosis free status. That ends the one year plus testing requirement for cattle exported out of the state. State veterinarian Doctor Greg Ledbetter says Idaho state agencies had great cooperation from cattle producers who bore the brunt of the cost for increased surveillance and testing. LEDBETTER "We've been highly praised by USDA when they were here for our brucellosis review back in September of last year. They were very impressed with the way that the two state agencies Fish and Game and ISDA were both working together and working with the ranchers to get this problem solved and to prevent it occurrence in the future." And that's the next step. Ledbetter says the state and ranchers will do all they can to keep livestock from coming in contact with wild elk in eastern Idaho especially during the winter months. LEDBETTER "Fish and Game is a player. They're working to help change the elk migration patterns so that the elk do not come down and congregate around the ranches and stuff. The ranchers are providing them with fencing material so they can fence their haystacks, fence their feed yards." Ledbetter says is that cooperative effort and the work of many that will keep the cattle from coming in contact with potentially infected wild game. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott