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Livestock groups urge vaccine banks

Livestock producer leaders have testified in strong support of vaccine banks. Carl Wittenburg, Chairman of the National Turkey Federation, says avian influenza is not going away and it has become a global problem. His group supports a mandatory disease program and vaccine bank for high-path A-I, “The fact that the rest of the world has high-path should be a big factor in bringing them to the table, to see if there’s a more logical policy that we can be agreed upon.” Wittenberg says to indemnify and euthanize poultry globally is not a good long-term approach and the U.S. poultry industry will need the continued support of Congress because high-path A-I “is not going away overnight.”

Craig Uden a Nebraska cattleman and president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says the U.S. needs a stronger and more adequate vaccine bank for Foot and Mouth Disease,  “NCBA would be requesting the support of this committee for dedicated funds of $150-Million dollars a year for five years to develop a more robust bank.”

The National Pork Producers Council and American Sheep Industry also testified in support of an FMD vaccine bank.

They all testified before the House Ag Subcommittee on livestock today for producer perspectives on the next farm bill Tuesday.