Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., is seeking to protect the health of America’s herds by ensuring funds for a critical animal health and disease research program are allocated in the coming year.
Today, the Senate accepted an amendment Enzi offered to the Senate’s fiscal year 2009 budget resolution. Enzi’s measure is an outline for funding the Animal Health Research and Disease Program. The program, which is administered through the USDA’s Cooperative Extension Service at land-grant universities, has proven to be crucial in providing communities with funds for research that can be used to investigate animal health emergencies.
“These funds provide for rapid response in the event of an animal health emergency. In these situations, our ability to pinpoint the source of the problem and respond quickly can mean the difference between a contained incident or a massive outbreak,” Enzi said. “We truly cannot afford to let this program go unfunded. The Animal Health Research and Disease Program is an excellent investment in American agriculture.”
As senators debated the budget on the floor this week, Enzi made a floor statement to educate fellow senators about the importance of the Animal Health Research and Disease Program. He asked appropriators to allocate money for the program despite a lack of funding outlined in the President’s budget. Enzi added that the budget is a guiding but non-binding document and decisions on specific discretionary spending programs will be made by both the Senate and House Appropriation Committees.
Enzi’s amendment was accepted unanimously in a package of other amendments that were included in the final budget resolution. The Senate passed the final budget resolution early Friday morning.
Funds directly link to Wyoming
Funds for the Animal Health Research and Disease Program have helped Wyoming state officials and researchers respond to outbreaks of brucellosis in cattle and stop incidences of blue tongue in livestock. The funds have also been used to investigate multiple deaths within Wyoming elk herds.
In 2004, the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, in coordination with the University of Wyoming, used funds to investigate the mysterious paralysis and death of more than 300 elk out of a herd of 800 in the Red Rim area near Rawlins. The State Veterinary Laboratory and a UW toxicologist found that the elk died after ingesting a poisonous lichen, and now the lab is continuing its research in response to the deaths of another 16 Red Rim elk over the past six days. The lab’s findings in 2004 allowed biologists to respond quickly to the recent deaths.
“We know that animal health is one of the greatest threats to animal agriculture in our nation. Recent experiences in other countries with foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza and mad cow disease bring home the importance of how animal diseases can affect the food supply, human health, and even national economies,” Enzi said. “My amendment seeks to ensure that animal health funding is fully funded so our nation can continue to enjoy the benefits of healthy animals and a safe food system.”
