The president of an organization that speaks for Texas beef
producers is worried that foot and mouth disease could strike because the
United States Department of Agriculture intends to clear the Patagonia area of
Argentina to export beef and cattle to the United States.
The Texas and Southwestern Cattle
Raisers Association (TSCRA) is deeply concerned with this proposal, writes
president Pete Bonds in an on-line article.
“FMD is a severe and highly
contagious viral disease of cows, pigs, sheep, goats, deer and other animals
with divided hooves.
“It is considered to be one of the
most economically devastating livestock diseases in the world and poses a
significant risk to not only our country’s cattle herd, but also our national
food security,” he writes.
“FMD could also cost our industry
hundreds of millions of dollars.
“I am extremely worried if FMD comes
into the cattle herds, especially in Texas with the high population of feral
hogs, we could see an unstoppable outbreak of the disease.
“Pigs are more susceptible to the
disease than cattle, and with feral hogs being a problem in most of the
state, the disease could spread throughout the country,” Bonds writes.
