This is something to celebrate in cattle country.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that for the first time in 74 years, all 50 states plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are free of the terrible brucellosis disease, one of the most serious agriculture diseases farmers fight. This bacterial disease can cause weight loss, decreased milk production, infertility and loss of young in elk, bison and cattle.
Brucellosis can jump from animal to human, making the disease an even greater concern. The Department of Agriculture announced that
Texas was the last state to become "brucellosis free" last week.
But the Associated Press says the battle continues:
Still, the disease could pose threats in the West, where the presence of brucellosis in free-ranging bison and elk in Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park could affect herds in surrounding states.
If brucellosis is found in more than one herd of cattle in a
brucellosis-free state within two years, the state loses its
brucellosis-free status and may face restrictions on interstate cattle
movement. Montana discovered the disease in a herd in May 2007.
"Our work is not done," said Bruce Knight, agriculture
undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs. "We must now
focus our efforts on eradicating brucellosis from the free-ranging elk
and bison populations in the Greater Yellowstone Area in order to protect our national cattle herd against future outbreaks."
One of the reasons this disease is bad out west...
