14 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN March 2024 PRODUCTION Having a Plan What Is a Secure Beef Supply Plan and Why Do I Need One? KELSEY POPE | CONTRIBUTING WRITER As busy cattle producers, it’s only natural to stay occupied doing what we do best – operating our cattle businesses. But taking time for planning and preparedness will make all the difference in the instance of a foreign animal disease (FAD) making its way into our nation’s borders. This is why a Secure Beef Supply Plan is imperative to the continuity of business for cattle operations. When we hear about FADs, the most infectious viral disease in the world first comes to mind – foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). The FMD virus causes illness in cows, pigs, sheep, goats, deer and other animals with split hooves. It does not affect horses, dogs or cats. FMD is not a public health or food safety threat, and it is not related to hand, foot and mouth disease, a common childhood illness caused by a different type of virus. Foot and Mouth Disease If FMD is found in U.S. livestock, regulatory officials will limit the movement of animals and animal products in an attempt to control the spread of this very contagious animal disease. The last U.S. FMD outbreak was in 1929, which was controlled by halting movement and stamping out (depopulation of infected and exposed animals). However, Nebraska State Veterinarian Dr. Roger Dudley says the control of FMD today would be different from earlier outbreaks. “Herd size, extensive movements of animals, public resistance, carcass disposal of the large herd size and increased numbers of deer and feral swine across the U.S. would make controlling the spread of the disease today very difficult,” he explains. Trade and Economic Impact Even though there has not been a case of FMD since 1929 in the United States, there is always a risk of FMD being introduced through international trade and travel. This highly contagious livestock disease is present in about two-thirds of the countries in the world. If introduced into U.S. livestock, exports of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and their products will stop. “Foot and mouth disease will always be a threat,” Dudley warns. “Customs and Border Patrol is constantly monitoring products and people coming in to make sure that foot-andmouth disease doesn’t get into the United States.” If an active case of FMD was found in the United States, Dudley explains that the export markets for cattle and their products will be shut down, causing tremendous economic hardship. Some economists have predicted that an FMD outbreak in the United States could cost as much as $200 billion over a 10-year period. “It is a constant battle for the United States to make sure that it doesn’t get here, and other countries are doing the same thing, especially Canada and Mexico,” Dudley says. “We don’t want that disease anywhere close to us. This virus is the most contagious animal virus in the world. That being said, we’ve been very successful at keeping it out of the country since 1929. But there is always some risk.” Mike Drinnin, feedyard owner and manager near Columbus, attests to the detrimental impacts an outbreak would have on our exports. “Our exports would shut down immediately,” he says. “That’s more than $350 per head of value that those exports would take away overnight.” “One of the main reasons for responding to foreign animal disease is because of trade,” Dudley says. “The trade impacts are significant if we have FMD in the country. Secure Beef Supply plans play a key role in helping get back to some kind of normal.” Secure Beef Supply Plan The Secure Beef Supply (SBS) Plan is a continuity-of-business plan for cattle operations during an FMD outbreak. Movement of animals and animal products (semen, embryos, manure) would be stopped in the areas around infected animals. Once stopped, restarting movement will require a special permit. The SBS Plan provides guidance for operations with cattle that have no evidence of FMD infection in a control zone, an area around an infected farm, and helps them prepare to meet movement permit requirements. “What an SBS Plan does is help producers be more prepared for an outbreak and think through what a FAD response may look like on their farm,” Dudley says. “The key is to have that plan in place ahead of time because it’s going to
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