Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act of 2008

By Dr. Christine Hoang, Assistant Director Scientific Activities Division

H.R. 6255 and S.3238 were introduced in the US House and the US Senate in July 2008. The identical bills seek to prohibit the importation of ruminants and swine, fresh and frozen meat, and products from ruminants and swine from Argentina until the US Secretary of Agriculture certifies to Congress that every region of Argentina is free of foot and mouth disease (FMD) without vaccination.

Meanwhile, language in the FY09 Senate Agricultural Appropriations bill (S3289) prohibits any funding for an individual to conduct any activities that would allow such imports from Argentina.

FMD is a highly contagious disease found in cloven-hooved ruminants and has the potential for devastating economic impact to the livestock industry. However, the proposed legislation is contrary to the principle of regionalization and standards set by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), and recognized by the World Trade Organization's Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Agreement.

Furthermore, in the January 5, 2007 Federal Register, the USDA proposed to amend regulations to add a portion of the Patagonia region of Argentina to the list of regions considered free of Rinderpest and FMD based on a 2005 risk analysis performed by the National Center for Import Export, Regionalization Evaluation Services. That risk analysis indicated that the likelihood of an outbreak in domestic livestock occurring as a result of ovine meat or products imported from this region of Argentina is low.

AVMA policy on the importation of animals and animal products states, "Imported animals and animal products must present no more than a negligible risk to human and animal health in the United States."

This topic is on the agendas of the AVMA Animal Agriculture Liaison Committee and the Council on Public Health and Regulatory Veterinary Medicine and will be discussed at their fall meetings.

Do you have expertise to offer for AVMA consideration on this issue? Send your feedback to the Scientific Activities Division at ScientificIssues.