Officials on guard for
agri-terrorism across the U.S.
How safe is your
herd? The USDA and the Missouri Department of Agriculture say that producers
need to be on guard for dangerous foreign pathogens such as foot-and-mouth
disease, hog cholera, swine fever, vesicular stomatitis, exotic Newcastle
disease, and sheep pox. Many of these, like foot-and-mouth disease, can be
carried by humans on contaminated clothing and is very contagious among
cloven-hoofed animals. Missouri Veterinary Office veterinarian Dave Hopson
reported that there is a statewide protocol in place for an outbreak of a herd
damaging pathogen. Hopson said that the plan has been in effect since around
2001, when it was developed because of a foot-and-mouth disease scare in Great
Britain. Since September 11, they are also looking for intentional spreading of
disease. The veterinary office is working with the Department of Homeland
Security to develop several new projects that will aid the identification and
control of animal disease, either natural or intentional. Hopson said that they
are developing a GPS animal tracking program. This will be used to map out a
quarantine area and study soil conditions to best determine a site for
depopulation. The animal tracking program will allow for a better data base that
will aid in identification of diseases and how they are spreading. This will be
a separate identification system than that proposed by the Country of Origin
Labeling, or COOL law. Another agri-security precaution is the strategic
placement of emergency equipment around the state. In centralized locations
there are trailers parked that contain corrals, chutes and veterinary equipment
that can be hooked to at a moments notice and whisked away to suspected disease
sites. While Hopson does not think that ag producers are in dire straits, he
noted that “there is a lot greater risk now than before 9-11.” Hopson said he
feels that an attack on the $4 billion livestock and poultry industry in
Missouri would be devastating to the economics of the industry but also would
have a physiological impact. Hopson is confident that they are “just about as
prepared as we can get.” Biosecurity is possible, however. Forkner Farms in
Richards has been a biosecure area for many years. Everett Forkner said any
visitor to his hog farm has to go through a decontamination process just to look
at the breeding stock. Another precaution is that no hog that leaves Forkner
Farms ever returns to the farm. They are all sold, and there have been no
outside hogs brought in for 15 years. “Today most hog people have a plan that
will disallow anyone access to their outfit, said Forkner. He feels optimistic
about security measures the state has in effect. “We’re prepared now a lot
better than we were before,” he said. “We hope it never happens, but I think the
possibility is there and we are preparing for it,” said Hopson.
Oh My Goodness,
You Don't Think Something
Like This Scenario Could Have Happened,
Do
You?
CAN YOU SAY, "CRIMINAL ARA CONSPIRACY?"
SURE I KNEW YOU COULD!
Game Fowl Focus of
Disease Fears in California
Apr. 2--Concern about the spread of exotic
Newcastle disease has spurred campaigns in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., to
raise cockfighting and shipping fighting roosters across state or national
borders from misdemeanors to felonies.
Animal advocates long have decried the
blood sport for alleged cruelty. Now they seek to gain momentum from worry that
further spread of the virus on roosters moving to and from matches is
endangering high- value poultry meat and egg industries, as well as cherished
pets.Already in Southern California, 3.2 million egg-laying hens on commercial
farms and nearly 136,000 backyard birds have been euthanized by order of a joint
state and federal task force that has been striving since October to eradicate
the disease.Those who oppose upgrading cockfighting to a felony argue that
imprisonment is too harsh a penalty for immigrants from countries like Mexico
and the Philippines, where cock matches are widespread and legal. They also warn
that a crackdown could force the illegal enterprise further underground in the
United States.SB 732, a bill introduced by Sen. Nell Soto, D-Pomona, would
strengthen California's cockfighting law by giving a district attorney the
option to charge offenses either as a misdemeanor or a felony. The bill is
heading to its first hearing Tuesday before the Senate Public Safety
Committee.Soto's bill was inspired by a letter from a constituent, Pat Dunaway,
55, of Rialto. Dunaway, co-chairwoman of the Pet Assistance Foundation for the
Inland Empire, said she learned that a strain of exotic Newcastle virus similar
to the one plaguing Southern California was discovered earlier in Mexico, and it
could have been carried here by fighting roosters. Federal and state
authorities, however, say they haven't proven the origin of the current
outbreak."They (cockfighters) cause too much trouble for it to be a
misdemeanor," Dunaway said. "To only give people a slap on the wrist for it
seems absurd." So she asked Soto to make cockfighting a felony. Soto said she is
concerned about the role cockfighting may have in spreading Newcastle disease.
She said she wants a law that will finally do away with a sport she calls
"cruel" and "inhumane."In 27 other states, cockfighting already is a felony.Also
last week, a bipartisan bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate that would make
the transportation of animals across state lines for the purpose of fighting a
felony under federal law, punishable by up to two years in prison. The bill
authored by John Ensign, R-Nev., a veterinarian, and co-sponsored by 10 other
members, including seven Democrats, also would make interstate shipment of
cockfighting implements, such as knives and gaffs, a felony."As a veterinarian,
I've seen firsthand the horrible injuries animals can suffer as a result of this
barbaric practice, and as a senator I'm determined to stop it," Ensign said.
Wayne Pacelle, senior vice president of the Humane Society of the United States,
a staunch backer of anti-cockfighting legislation, said federal prosecutors tell
him they could give higher priority to cracking down on the activity if they
were armed with felony penalties.Originally, the Soto bill proposed to make
cockfighting an automatic felony. However, Pacelle said he believed it would be
easier to win over the Legislature if prison time could be reserved for the
worst cases such as repeat offenders and cockfight organizers."It might be
difficult to get legislators to make watching such an event a felony," Pacelle
said. Soto's legislation so far has been endorsed by several other
animal-advocate organizations. Soto's office said letters of support are pending
from at least nine sheriff's departments.John Lovell, government relations
manager for the California Police Chiefs Association, said that group also
supports the Soto bill.Lovell said cockfights have been venues for other
unsavory and illegal activity, such as gambling and drug trafficking."Now into
the bargain the birds have been implicated in the spread of exotic Newcastle
disease that is causing severe problems for lawful California businesses," he
said. Organizations representing game fowl owners and breeders, however, say
they are doing their part in the battle against exotic Newcastle by advising
members to comply with quarantine regulations and submitting to the destruction
of their birds that are infected or exposed to the disease. Under California
law, raising or owning game fowl is not a crime as long as it cannot be proven
the birds are sold for fighting.Bucky Harless, secretary for the Association for
the Preservation of Game Fowl in California, said, "We are trying to kill (the
Soto bill) because it is absolutely wrong-headed. ... When you make the laws
harsher, you force people with game fowl underground, whether you fight them or
show them." Harless also said cockfighting is part of the culture of the state's
Hispanic and Filipino communities. "They can't understand in the home of the
free and the land of the brave they can't fight roosters," he said.And even
among those who opposes cockfighting, not everyone believes that making it a
felony will stamp out the practice.Richard Matteis, executive director of the
Pacific Egg & Poultry Assn., said the group still is considering whether to
support the Soto bill. But he said he has personal reservations."In my
experience, just increasing penalties does not work. What you need is money for
enforcement," Matteis said.
To see more of The Press-Enterprise, or to
subscribe to the newspaper, go to www.PE.com
Copyright © 2003 The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif. Distributed by
Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
CAN YOU SAY, "CRIMINAL ARA CONSPIRACY?" SURE I KNEW
YOU COULD!
Hmmm? First there is a mysterious outbreak of a virulent
poultry decease found IN THE CITY.
Then BEFORE the California State
authorities have even begun to seriously address the issue, much less have
determined the source, cause, extent or severity of this outbreak, the HSUS a
continent away in Washington D. C is able to emphatically proclaim that it was
ILLEGAL CHICKENS THAT DONE THE DIRTY DEED!
How they could be so sure of this is pretty amazing
really! Especially, since time and time again the HSUS has exhibited it's total
lack of poultry science experience, a complete void in their knowledge of
poultry health needs, the instinctual behaviors of a chicken, or any other
aspect of their breeding and husbandry requirements.
So, I just have to wonder why a group with so little
practical knowledge and expertise in the care and feeding of chickens, was able
to "Scoop" EVERY POULTRY EXPERT IN THE COUNTRY ON THE CAUSE OF END IN
CALIFORNIA? PARTICULARLY WHEN THE EXPERTS IN CALIFORNIA THEMSELVES, ADMIT THEY
DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO PLACE THE RESPONSIBILITY ON ANY ONE GROUP OR
TYPE OF FOWL EVEN TODAY???
It's also strangely coincidental that we had REPORTERS
COMING HERE TO ASK WHY WE CAUSED THIS OUTBREAK, BEFORE ANY COCKERS IN THAT AREA
LOST ANY OF THEIR CHICKENS AT ALL? AND, ALSO BEFORE THIS VERY TIGHT COMMUNITY OF
GAMEFOWL BREEDERS (That couldn't keep a secret, even if would save their souls
from hell,) HAD EVEN HEARD OF THE END OUTBREAK IN CALIFORNIA AT
ALL???
But, what REALLY gets my eyebrows to raising, is the fact
that there seems to have been a major push by the HSUS for dramatic changes in
California "poultry legislation" based on this very reason that Gamefowl pose a
danger to the whole State, just because they EXIST. But, I ask you? How could
the HSUS have predicted all of this was going to happen, and therefore was
ALREADY PREPARED TO SPONSOR LEGISLATION RELATED TO GAMEFOWL AND "END" IN
CALIFORNIA?
THIS SEEMS EXTREMELY "FISHY" THAT IF THE HSUS DIDN'T HAVE PRIOR
KNOWLEDGE, OR WORSE......AN EXPECTATION THAT THIS WAS GOING TO OCCUR? THEN THEY
CERTAINLY WOULDN'T HAVE ALREADY HAD SO MANY OF THEIR "Ducks in a row" ON
LEGISLATION TO OUTLAW SOMETHING ONLY THE HSUS KNEW WOULD BE USED AS THE
DESIGNATED SCAPEGOAT??
It is obvious to ME, that such closely related occurrences
and a detailed, full blown HSUS campaign to smear the reputation of Gamefowl
Breeders based on the END outbreak, being in place BEFORE the DISEASE ITSELF WAS
PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, is something FAR MORE THAN JUST A COINCIDENCE, AND A WHOLE LOT
MORE SINISTER THAN A "LUCKY GUESS" BY THE POWERS THAT BE AT THE HSUS !!!
Of course I'm not pulling these accusations out of nowhere, either!
Because, I KNOW that the HSUS has the strongest MOTIVE OF ALL FOR COMMITTING
THIS CRIME!
And, you don't have to take MY word on that either!
Just take
THEIRS!!
"My goal is the abolition of all animal
agriculture" -John Paul "JP" Goodwin
"If you take the attitude that one
form of animal use is acceptable, then you can't criticize anything else" -Wayne
Pacelle HSUS