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Huron Expositor, 2001-03-28, Page 3i News Foot and mouth disease would devastate Canadian agriculture By Sarah Caldwell Goderich Signal Star Staff There would be a $26 billion dollar loss in Canada in the cattle, pork and sheep industries if foot and mouth disease were to spread across Canada, said Les Falconer, from the Huron County Beef Producers Association, at a recent meeting with Huron - Bruce's MP and MPP. In 1952, when Foot and Mouth disease was in Canada the price of beef dropped from 37 to 17 cents, said Falconer, containing the disease in 1952 lead to the slaughter of 1500 cattle, 350 hogs and 350 sheep. It would be devastating to pork, sheep and cattle if the disease came here, said Falconer. The message needs to get out that this is an important issue, he said. Huron -Bruce MP Paul Steckle said the disease, which was first detected in Britain last month and has spread to France and Northern Ireland, shows why Canada needs to have its own sovereign and safe food supply. "Imagine if right now we were getting all our meat imported from Europe where we would be," he said. Currently, Canada has suspended the import of all susceptible animals from infected countries. The ban will remain in effect until the threat has passed, according the the federal government. Canada is in an enviable position right now with food safety, said Steckle: Canada is in a great position and there should be margins on its products to reflect this: Canada needs to develop a food policy for Canada to become self-sustaining, he said. Steckle, in a letter to the editor issued March 19, said since the initial outbreak the Government of Canada (through the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and other federal departments) has worked to ensure that Canada remains free of Foot and Mouth disease. Foot and mouth is a viral disease affecting cloven- hooved animals including cattle, sheep and swine. It does not pose a threat to human health or food safety, according to information from the Ontario Ministry of Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). The disease is highly contagious and is one of the most serious of livestock illnesses. The virus can spread by air and contaminated vehicles, facilities, feed or water - even on clothing. BSE or Mad Cow disease is much different from Foot and Mouth disease. Mad cow Allan Carter, Broker • Homs • Auto • Commercial • Farm 522-0399 Seaforth 1-800-265-0959 Strathroy SEED ProRich Seeds Inc. MT. ELGIN, ONT. NOJ 1NO - CERTIFIED SEEDS - NEW VARIETIES - AND OUR ROYALTY BRAND ALFALFAS Specialists In - FORAGE MIXTURES - PASTURE MIXTURES - PLOWDOWN CLOVERS - PEAS and TRITICALLEY MIXTURES • Custom mixes available at no extra charge • For All Your Forage Requirements Please CaN 1-800-361-1593 Gilbert Van Steelandt 522-0648 disease is a fatal neurological disorder of cattle. BSE has never been detected in cattle of Canadian origin. The provincial and federal governments' risk management is similar for both diseases: import controls, disease detection and surveillance, transmission controls and eradication measures. Food and mouth disease is very hardy. It survives freezing temperatures and can survive outside the host in protected locations. Once the virus becomes established it can spread the disease through a herd of cattle in as little as 48 hours. Foot and mouth disease has been recovered from cattle stalls 14 days after removal of infected cattle, from urine after 39 days, from soil 28 days in autumn and three days in summer and from dry hay after 20 weeks of storage. The virus is rendered inactive by sunlight, extremes in pH and high temperatures. Humans can carry the virus up to approximately 14 days after contact with the disease. People can inhale the virus, trapping it in the respiratory tract for as long as 36 hours. The virus can then be expelled in the saliva or breath, and become a source of infection to susceptible animals. The most common way the disease is spread from humans to animals is though clothing, shoes or luggage where the virus can persist for at least nine weeks. One of the most important things farmers can do themselves is to not lie at customs when they go abroad and are asked when they return if they have been on a farm. Many people say no, to avoid the hassle, said Falconer. International travellers are being required to undergo additional precautions, said Steckle. Aside from the use of detectors and dogs at all international airports, travellers returning to Canada from countries with confirmed cases of Foot and Mouth are required to follow simple but effective decontamination procedures. This can include, but is not limited, to showering in antibacterial soaps and a Specializing in Weed & Pest Control Call 527-0582 Kim Jamieson RMT Registered Massage Therapist Contact Seaforth Chiropractic Centre 527-1242 for an appointment vinegar solution and a complete decontamination of suitcases and clothing. Security protocols are also being extended to garbage and other waste products from international aircraft and to all vehicles and other mechanical devices that enter Canada from infected countries. As an added precaution the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is asking that the following be observed: declare all meat; dairy and other animal products that you wish to bring into Canada, if you visited a farm while out of Canada advise Customs; decontaminate any footwear or clothing that was utilized on foreign farms and stay away from Canadian farms for 14 days after returning to Canada. Canadian farmers should prevent farm visits by anyone including family who has been to an infected country in the last 14 days. If it is essential that visitors who come to your farm, take stringent sanitary procedures. This could include washing all personal effects, clothing and equipment that accompanied them. It is especially important to decontaminate footwear. A solution of 50 per cent water and 50 per cent vinegar is an adequate disinfectant for foot and mouth. "I would also suggest that, unless travel to infected nations is crucial, perhaps postponing scheduled trips would be wise," said Steckle. "Although humans do not get foot and mouth, they can be carriers of the virus." "Ontario citizens need to be especially careful when returning from overseas travel and farmers need to take extra precautions, particularly when allowing visitors on their farms," stressed Ontario Agriculture, Food and Rural affairs minister Brian Coburn in a press release. If you would like to obtain more specific information or if you have questions pertaining to foot and mouth disease, please contact the Canadian Food Inspection Agency toll free at 1-877-277- 0677 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. or on their website at www.inspection.gc.ca. Becky Campbell Registered Massage Therapist MON., TUES., WED. 9 am to 8 pm; Fridays 9amto5pm Add a regular massage to your resolution for better health in 2001! 527-2058 'It only hurts, it you don't call!" • PIANO l'l \I\(1 • REPAIRS • REBUIt • KEYS RECOVEPEL • DAMPP CHASERS • REGULATING • BENCHES . BRUCR PULS �E 348.9223 MrrcltE L For real peace of mind,, look tor this symbol of protection. We provide insurance protection that lets you sleep at night. That's because the collective strength of our 50 community based mutual insurers makes us among the most financially secure insurance networks in the world. 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