USDA SEEKS $35 MILLION EXTRA IN BUDGET TO FIGHT DISEASED BEEF IMPORTS

USDA SEEKS $35 MILLION EXTRA IN BUDGET TO FIGHT DISEASED BEEF IMPORTS    To keep up its fight against imports of beef tainted with foot-and-mouth and bovine spongiform encephalopathy, President Bush’s fiscal 2001 supplemental appropriations request to Congress will include an additional $35 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
   The supplemental request includes:
$4.5 million for border and port inspections of cargo and passengers from other countries, with emphasis on countries affected by FMD and BSE.
$24.6 million for more veterinarians and animal health assessments to quickly detect diseases if they should enter the country. This includes $13.5 million to strengthen state surveillance and infrastructure programs.
$1.9 million for “contingency planning” for immediate control and eradication in the event of disease outbreaks.
$1.7 million for technical assistance worldwide to monitor and control disease outbreaks.
$2.3 million for additional tools and technologies to control the diseases.
   “While we have been vigilant for years and have successfully prevented many foreign animal diseases from entering the country, recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease across the world and ongoing concerns about BSE underscore the need to strengthen our safeguarding system,” said USDA Secretary Ann M. Veneman.
   Earlier this year, Veneman authorized $32 million in spendin to hire 350 new inspectors and to double USDA’s canine teams. This was in addition to nearly 400 inspectors hired in 2001 and another 200 reassigned to other program areas.