I’ve been asked to address the topic of "Industry Information" for Brucellosis eradication. I suspect that the invitation was the result of my experience with the information efforts connected with the successful hog cholera eradication program. And what we might do, information-wise, as we approach the eradication of Brucellosis.

So. That was then; this is now. We must learn from the past, but focus on the future. All politics is local -- and so is a good information program.

And that is the "guts" of what I’ve got to say today.

The livestock industry and the regulatory community have a proud history when it comes to tackling our disease problems. At times it’s been a rocky history -- none of our "victories" has come easy. Someone once told me in the early years of the hog cholera eradication program, "If getting rid of this disease was easy, we’d have done it a long time ago." The lesson to be learned here is that in order for a program to succeed, it takes both hard work and sacrifice.

Nonetheless, our successes in animal disease eradication have been notable. North America -- the "New World" -- was fortunate in the beginning because many of the diseases of the "Old World" did not exist here. And the long ship voyage for imported animals tended to serve as a built-in quarantine.

But that situation changed in the 1800’s. Notable was the year 1843 when one Peter Dunn, who lived on Long Island, bought a ship cow from the captain of an English vessel. This cow was carrying contagious bovine pleuropneumonia or lung plague. The disease spread from Long Island and through other introductions and by the 1880’s was causing serious losses in our domestic cattle herds.

But perhaps an even more important factor is that it was also impacting our export markets. By this time, there was a thriving market for American meat and animals in foreign countries -- but diseases were costing us money. Foreign countries wouldn’t take our products because of our animal disease situation.

Finally, in 1884, Congress created the Bureau of Animal Industry -- the BAI -- within USDA to "prevent the exportation of diseased cattle, and to provide means for the suppression and extirpation of pleuropneumonia and other contagious diseases among domestic animals."

You know the rest of the story. Within eight years, BAI scientists had wiped out contagious bovine pleuropneumonia -- in this case even before they knew what the causative agent was -- and were well on their way to finding the key to the eradication of Texas cattle fever.

Other successes followed. Between 1870 and 1929, nine outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease were wiped out -- in all but two cases within a few months. Fowl plague was eradicated in 1929. Two horse diseases, glanders and dourine, were eliminated in 1934 and 1942, respectively. The successful conclusion of a 37 year battle against cattle fever ticks and the disease they carry came in 1943.

In 1959, vesicular exanthema of swine was eradicated. That same year, we eliminated screwworms in the southeastern United States. Three years later, we started a program in the southwest that today has extended beyond Mexico and into Central America. In 1971, we stopped an invasion of Venezuelan equine encephalitis.

January 1973 marked the official end of a "300 year itch" -- the eradication of sheep scabies. The next year marked the successful conclusion of a massive campaign against exotic Newcastle disease in poultry in southern California.

And, on January 31, 1978, the Secretary of Agriculture officially declared the United States "hog cholera free" -- perhaps the most significant accomplishment in almost a century of fighting animal disease.

Until, of course, we eradicate Brucellosis in cattle.

The policy of disease eradication -- rather than control -- became firmly established during the BAI years, along with the basic procedures involved in fighting animal disease, namely quarantine, slaughter, and disinfection. Those principles -- find it, confine it, eliminate it -- remain viable today.

I looked back at what we did in information in the closing days of the hog cholera eradication program. There are some similarities -- and some differences.

First the differences. As I said before, that was then; this is now. Our culture is different now, there are different views of the environment; in short, we’re talking about two different time periods. Next, hog cholera is an explosive viral disease that -- in its most virulent form -- spreads rapidly and kills animals quickly. In contrast, Brucellosis is an insidious bacterial disease that often does not manifest its symptoms. So we’re dealing with two different creatures.

The Brucellosis program has been around -- well, forever. So complacency is a big foe. But I remember a time in the hog cholera eradication program where complacency was our number one enemy. So there are similarities.

For instance, in the early years of hog cholera eradication, there were a number of people who said it couldn’t be done. There were others who gave it lip service, but didn’t believe in their hearts. In fact, there are a few who still don’t believe it -- 16 years after the fact.

The same is true for Brucellosis.

These visuals show the course of our efforts against hog cholera and -- for Brucellosis -- our recent efforts. I believe that we now are in the same stage of the Brucellosis program as we were in hog cholera from 1972 to 1976. We’re in the home stretch.

If there were a color associated with disease eradication, what would it be? Blue for "blue sky?" Red and yellow for quarantine? No, I think -- actually, I’m sure -- that eradication’s color is green. Because it’s all tied up in money. And it’s important to remember this in designing an information campaign. Because you have to appeal not only to the heart and the head, but also to the pocketbook.

"The Final Countdown" visual graphically illustrates the remarkable progress we’ve made against this disease in just the past five years. If a graph of your State’s infection over the same period mirrors this picture, I applaud you. If it doesn’t -- if you haven’t shown appreciable progress, I suggest that you need to take a look at what you’re doing and what you need to do to improve your program. And I would add that an increased information effort can help you.

Notice I said "help." Information is no substitute for solid eradication program procedures. But it can supplement a good program and make it work even better.

So what do we need to do now? First, we need to get excited. If we’re going to eliminate this disease quickly and efficiently, we need to be just as enthused and enthusiastic as when the program got started.

We must learn from the past, but focus on the future.

One technique that’s been used in varying degrees, but has usually been successful when it has been used, is to publicize the discovery of new infection. This can vary from a simple press release in the local paper to hand-delivered information to all neighboring cattlemen.

Alabama is a recent example of a State that appears to be getting on top of new infection quickly. I’d like to quote from their report as follows: "Alabama has detected a Brucellosis-infected herd (33 cows) on March 28, which will be depopulated April 4. Early epidemiology indicates the owner purchased exposed weaned 1990 heifer calves from a previously suspicious herd that was negative in 1992. Rapid response containment plans for area testing within three miles are underway as well as tracing out all sales." I talked with some of the folks in Alabama and they told me that they’ve found that issuing a local press release on newly found infected herds is very helpful for the task force that is conducting adjacent herd or area testing and doing traceback work.

Bright, colorful handouts can certainly enhance local information efforts. But they’re no more effective than a few good solid stories in the local paper publicizing an outbreak. In other words, it may help if you have a pretty package, but the most important part is what you have inside, not the wrapping paper.

We’ve developed this kind of information in the past and these materials are still available. The Kerr information materials are also available. LCI’s Brucellosis Progress Report helps keep information flowing. Our APHIS national press releases also report on progress being made.

I would like to leave you today with something concrete: A "blueprint" for future information efforts at the local level -- because that’s where they’re most important.

It’s a relatively simple formula -- and not necessarily unique to me. But it works. It’s built around the joining together of three concepts: Audience; Message; Means.

In other words, who are you trying to reach; what are you trying to tell them; and, finally, what are the best methods or means to deliver a certain message to a particular group.

But before you apply the formula, there are a couple of other things you need to do. First, you need to organize your information campaign around the people and groups who are involved in the eradication program. Who are these folks? Well, a lot of them are in this room today.

State and Federal regulatory officials. People from the Extension Service and the University system. Practitioners can play a big part -- especially in helping disseminate information.

And, most importantly, producers. After all, they have the biggest stake in this program. I remember a big meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, in the 60’s where people were debating the pros and cons of vaccination. And after a number of veterinarians had spoken -- some quite heatedly -- a hog farmer got us and said, "Let’s remember who owns the hogs."

So find representatives from the Farm Bureau or other active farm organizations in your State. The State cattlemen’s association. Market interests.

Once you’ve identified the "players," the next thing to do is to get together and define the problem.

What are the major obstacle to finishing the job in your State or area? Obviously, this is going to vary from place to place. The problems in East Texas are different than those in New Mexico or Kansas.

Someone has to take the lead. I can’t stand up here and tell you what to do or how to do it. That’s got to be settled on the local level. You’ve to persuade people to get involved. Entice them, cajole them, whatever it takes . . . because you can’t push a worm down a hole unless it’s willing.

Build on what’s worked in the past. Borrow from other people’s experience. If you can, try to get professional information people from the Extension Service, the University, the State Department of Agriculture, or farm organizations involved. Or, if you draft a press release locally and are hesitant about the wording, public affairs specialists with LPA will be glad to take a quick look and offer suggestions for improvement. We have a staffer in Hyattsville, Md., and a regional public affairs specialist in Denver, CO., who can provide assistance.

But someone needs to take the bull by the horns and say, "Let’s get going -- let’s finish this program!"

I have a handout here that I’ve called a "Blueprint for Brucellosis Eradication Information Campaign." It’s kind of a combination worksheet and checklist.

This blueprint or worksheet is by no means complete. I’m sure there are other questions that need to be asked and other points that need to be addressed. But it’s a start. And I hope you can use it to start some renewed information efforts in your State that will lead to the end of this disease in the not too distant future.

Let me go over it with you very briefly, since I’ve covered most of the points already.

** It might be helpful to get a "slogan" or theme for your State’s information campaign. You can use the defacto "The Final Countdown" or develop your own.

** Next identify the players. Who can be involved in the program and the information effort.

** Get those people together -- perhaps at a work conference, a cattlemen’s meeting, the veterinary association convention -- and try to define the problem. I’ve listed a few questions to help do that.

** With this start, you can move to the nitty gritty on the back side of the worksheet. That is, identifying your audiences (who you’re trying to reach); your messages (what you’re trying to communicate); and finally, your means -- the information tools that will best convey a particular message to a specific audience.

** Next comes the "mix & match." This is just one way of laying out your approach.

** Finally comes the finishing touches. Can you set some targets? This is always useful in an information campaign. You need to nail down who’s going to do what -- if you don’t, there’s a good likelihood that nobody will do it. And, lastly, you have to address your internal "complacency" factor. How can you keep everybody on board and interested.

**I hope what I’ve presented here today has stimulated your imagination. I have no doubt that we can eradicate Brucellosis. Equally, I know that good information support can make a solid eradication program work even better.

Thank you.

Blueprint for Brucellosis Eradication Information Campaign April 1994

Slogan: "The Final Countdown" or___________________________________________
A. Who is involved (groups and individuals):
State and Federal regulatory agencies ________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Extension Service________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
University_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Veterinary Associations___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Producer groups (Farm Bureau, Cattlemen, etc.)________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Others________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

B. Defining the problem:
1. What are the main obstacles to eradicating Brucellosis in your State/area?
2. What are the primary ways Brucellosis is spread in your State/area?
3. How are newly infected herds most often found?
4. What would motivate producers/practitioners to become more involved in Brucellosis eradication?
5. What are the most serious gaps in information about Brucellosis in your State/area?
6. What milestones can you identify on the road to eradication?

C. Identifying Audience/Message/Means:
Target audiences --
1 ___________________________
2 ___________________________
3 ___________________________

Campaign messages --

a.____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
b.____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
c.____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
d.____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Information tools (how to deliver messages to target audiences) -- Select from: Brochures; fact sheets; news stories; features; radio; gadgets (pencils, buttons, key rings, etc. with Brucellosis slogan or theme); personal contacts; talks at meetings; posters; flyers; others.

E. Finishing the job:
Can you set some targets?
Who is involved in the information delivery (who will do the work)?
How will you maintain interest and continuity?

Figure 1. Confirmed Hog Cholera Cases, 1964-76

Figure 2. Swine Herds Depopulated for Hog Cholera, 1965-77 and Indemnities Paid for Hog Cholera, 1965-77

Figure 3. Brucellosis Eradication: The Final Countdown