Missouri Farm Bureau
|
Kevin Craig - "Liberty Under God"
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| Bovine
Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) |
|
| Reports
of inconclusive BSE tests cause excessive market volatility.
Therefore, we believe that USDA should not report BSE tests unless
they have a confirmed case. |
When the Constitution was ratified in
1789, nobody alive believed they had given the new government power
to intervene in local agriculture, even in issues of "animal
health." No power was given to
the federal government in these areas through the Constitution, and
Congress has no authority to delegate
such powers to administrative agencies
like the USDA. |
| Brucellosis |
|
| We favor an
accelerated national
eradication program for brucellosis. We support a research program
to develop a better vaccine for both cattle and calves. |
|
| We oppose
reducing available funds from the state or national
eradication programs. |
|
| We encourage
producers to voluntarily
vaccinate. |
|
| May of 2010
marks the five year anniversary of Missouri receiving
brucellosis-free accreditation from USDA and the the current
mandatory testing surveillance program will no longer be required.
We encourage the Missouri Department of Agriculture to keep an
aggressive testing and surveillance program for brucellosis
(adequately funded by the state legislature) in place after the
current program expires. |
|
| Diagnostic
Laboratories |
|
| We recommend
that continued emphasis be placed on expanding the technology of the
area diagnostic laboratories. Area laboratories should be maintained
as they are very beneficial to the state's livestock and poultry
industries for disease detection and control. |
|
| We recommend
developing laboratories in areas of the state where needed. |
|
| We recognize
the importance of protecting our animal industry. Therefore, we
support the efforts to increase diagnostic and animal disease
research facilities and capability for the protection of our
livestock and wildlife populations. |
|
| Interstate
Movement |
|
| We favor
enforcement of embargoes against importation of livestock from
states which do not have effective disease control programs
(brucellosis, pseudorabies and tuberculosis). |
voluntarily enforced? |
| Medications |
|
| Continued
access to animal health medicines approved as safe by the Food and
Drug Administration is essential for animal well-being and
ultimately the production of safe and healthful meat, poultry and
dairy products for consumers. We oppose restrictions on antibiotic
use based on unscientific claims. |
|
| We support
and encourage the education of users of animal pesticides and
medications to ensure their safe use. However, we oppose requiring
certification of the user of animal pesticides and medications
(e.g., ear tags, wormers, implants, etc.), but suggest that
producers strictly adhere to all labeled directions for use. |
|
| It is
imperative that there be state oversight of the dispensing of
veterinary prescription drugs by a non-veterinarian. In order to
ensure the quality, safe handling, and accurate dispensing of these
drugs, it is important for this authority to be granted to a state
entity with the resources and expertise to meet these obligations.
As the only state without this oversight, Missouri will become a
dumping ground for unsafe, foreign-sourced drugs. |
|
| We believe
that veterinarians should be able to sell over-the-counter drugs
under the same rules and regulations as retail suppliers. |
|
| While we
recognize the need to control veterinary prescription drugs, we
believe the interpretation of present statutes and rulings by the
Division of Professional Registration can cause real harm to those
in the livestock industry. We would therefore recommend that all
veterinary pharmaceutical inspections be transferred to the
jurisdiction of the State Veterinarian along with the proper
funding. |
|
| Pseudorabies |
|
| We support full
federal funding for both laboratory services and field
personnel for Missouri's pseudorabies program and support mandatory
testing for pseudorabies. |
|
| State
Veterinarian |
|
| We believe
the Missouri State Veterinarian should assume the lead role in
detecting and developing a feasible plan to combat maladies
affecting livestock. This includes coordination with other state
agencies as well as officials at the local, state and national
levels. |
|
| Veterinarians |
|
| We believe
admittance to veterinary school should be based on academic
qualifications rather than referrals. |
|
| We favor
continued funding of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the
University of Missouri-Columbia. |
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| We encourage
students to enter large animal practice. We also support legislation
that provides financial aid for new veterinarian graduates that
practice large animal medicine in underserved rural areas . |
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