Legislation introduced to prevent foot-and-mouth disease in Argentina from entering the U.S.

Legislation has been introduced in the House to protect the U.S. from the introduction of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) from Argentina.

According to R-CALF USA, the bill 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.

Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., said that food safety -- of products from the United States and of products from other countries -- is one of his highest priorities. 

"I'm proud American agricultural products are among the safest in the world, and I want to make sure we stay that way," Smith said. "We need to continue to research both detection and prevention methods, to make sure imports to our country are safe."

Last week, an identical piece of legislation was introduced in the Senate and is being supported by Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb.

Nelson said FMD is one of the most contagious diseases for animals commonly used for food products. 

"It also has the potential to create great economic losses wherever it is spread," he said. "It is for this reason that I support this ban until we can be sure that all Argentinean meat is safe -- the risk is otherwise just too great."

 In both 2001 and 2006, Nelson said Argentina reported outbreaks of FMD with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). He said these relapsed outbreaks have occurred in the northern territories of the country. But, Nelson said, Argentina insists that shipments of its beef or lamb from South Patagonia, however, pose absolutely no threat to the health of the U.S. beef and sheep industries.

 Many in the livestock industry, however, are concerned opening the U.S. to shipments of Argentinean meat will put animals at risk of contracting FMD, according to Nelson. 

The U.S. has not had a case of FMD since 1929. However, because FMD is highly contagious and can rapidly spread through a region if control and eradication practices are not implemented upon its detection, it is considered by the American Veterinary Medical Association to be the most economically devastating of all livestock diseases.

Nebraska State Veterinarian Dennis A. Hughes said that as a veterinarian, it is his job to ensure the health and safety of Nebraska's livestock industry. 

"Until Argentina can prove it has the safeguards needed to eliminate FMD from its borders and no longer suffer any relapses of infection, we need to protect our livestock first and prevent any possible spread of this contagious and devastating disease," Hughes said. "This legislation is essential to ensuring the U.S. continues to remain FMD free."

Nelson and several of his colleagues sent a letter in March to USDA Secretary Schafer expressing concern over the proposed rule to deem Southern Patagonia as FMD free. The department proceeded with its rule despite concerns from members of Congress.

 "USDA really needs to get it right this time -- there is no room for error," said Nelson. "I've seen enough these last few years to know to be skeptical of any actions made by the department without double checking them first. I want to be absolutely certain that importing meat from any part of Argentina will not put the vital American beef industry at risk. That very high burden of proof falls to USDA and I am just not prepared to say that they've met it at this time."

R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard said there is no justification for relaxing import restrictions that protect the United States against the introduction of FMD.

"The sponsors of this common-sense legislation recognize that the most effective prevention measure against FMD is to ensure that it is not imported into the U.S. from countries where FMD is known to exist or was recently detected," Bullard said.