A strong farm safety net is a concern that has been voiced by nearly all areas of agriculture as a ?must have? for the 2023 Farm Bill. Livestock industry leaders say that animal disease preparedness is another “must have” for the next farm bill.
Recent history is proof that animal disease outbreaks like mad cow, foot and mouth disease, avian influenza, and African swine fever can devastate livestock industries.
At a recent farm bill hearing National Cattlemen?s Beef Association head Todd Wilkinson mentioned the need for strong preparedness measures for animal disease.
That ?three-legged stool? is partially made up of a national vaccine bank preparedness program, and an animal health lab network says National Pork Producers President Scott Hays.
Hays says that African swine fever which is a deadly threat to pigs and is now as close as Haiti and the Dominican Republic, is a growing threat. He says U.S. producers need tools to prevent or respond to an outbreak, should one ever occur in the United States.
