News

An update on the Secure Beef Supply plan

The Secure Beef Supply plan focuses on four major areas – biosecurity, business continuity, movement guidance, and surveillance.

Kathy Simmons, chief veterinarian with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says the plan would limit income losses across the entire industry. “This plan will give us the ability to move affected animals, not infected animals,” she says.  “Which means we can move animals once we’ve established there’s no risk to move them through movement permits.”

She tells Brownfield if there was an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in the US, it would impact both the domestic and international markets.  “It would immediately close all of our export markets,” he says.  “That can be significant for the beef cattle industry where we can put $300 volume on our animals through our exports.”

There are also Secure Food Supply plans for swine, dairy cattle, and sheep/wool.  All were developed together, by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and recommendations are similar, but have species-specific difference where needed. ce where needed.  

Foot and Mouth disease is not a public health or food safety concern.  Meat and milk are safe to eat and drink.  

AUDIO: Kathy Simmons, NCBA chief veterinarian