NIAA News Release

Bowling Green, KY — With the breaking news that foot and mouth disease (FMD) has been discovered once again in the United Kingdom, organizers of ID•INFO EXPO 2007 have made FMD and the need for an animal identification system in the U.S. a key topic of the opening general session of Tuesday, August 28 at 1:00 PM.

Sponsored by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA), ID•INFO EXPO 2007 will be held in Kansas City at the Westin Crown Center Hotel, August 28-30.

“The FMD portion of the program will begin with a report from England on the very latest developments there from dairy industry leader Raymond Brown,” says program co-chair Glenn Fischer. “Mr. Brown’s operation of 220 cows is in Cheshire in Northwest England approximately 130 miles for where the current outbreak has occurred,” according Fischer.

Mr. Brown’s operation has been awarded the National Dairy Herd and National Dairy Farm award on several occasions. He also serves as a board member of the National Farmers Union and the National Dairy Board.

“He’ll be able to tell us what is being done to manage the situation with an eye towards rapidly resuming normal commerce, a strong contrast compared to the disastrous situation that occurred in 2001,” states Fischer.

“The UK has put in place a national identification plan and an emergency management system that seems to be working well as of this time,” Fischer states. “We can only hope that it will continue to do so and that we here in the U.S. can learn a valuable lesson from it.”

Mr. Brown’s presentation will be followed by a report from Clair Thunes, PhD, Project Manager and Analyst, Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS) Dept. Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California-Davis. CADMS is currently conducting a nationwide research study to determine how prepared the U.S. is to handle an outbreak of FMD.

“Dr. Thunes leads the modeling part of that study and while the research program is not yet complete, her report at ID•INFO EXPO 2007 will provide some indication as to how prepared we really are for an FMD occurrence in this country,” says Fischer.

The CADMS study is being conducted in collaboration with the National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Diseases and supported by the USDA and the Department of Homeland Security seeks to expand a 2004 statewide FMD study that concentrated on just California.

“It’s important that those planning to attend this year’s event, make their hotel reservations no later than Wednesday, August 15. At that point the special rate will end,” according to NIAA CEO Michele Vise-Brown. “However, attendees can register for the conference on line at www.animalagriculture.org between now and Friday, August 24 or onsite during the event beginning Monday August 27,” Vise-Brown adds.

The National Institute for Animal Agriculture provides a forum for building consensus and advancing solutions for animal agriculture and provides continuing education and communication linkages for animal agriculture professionals. NIAA is dedicated to programs that: work towards the eradication of disease that pose risk to the health of animals, wildlife and humans; promote a safe and wholesome from supply for our nation and abroad; and promote best practices in environmental stewardship, animal health and well-being. NIAA members represent all facets of animal agriculture.

NOTE TO EDITORS: We regret the last minute news (Aug. 15) regarding hotel registration, but hope that you will be able to put this out on any email news you might have in the meantime. Again, we remind you that media registration is complementary.