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Farm and Home Biosecurity
Consumer/General Public and Livestock/Row Crop Producer
Farm Biosecurity and Travel Abroad
The events of September 11th have changed our lives in more ways than we can
imagine. In conjunction with the Foot and Mouth Disease Virus outbreak in the
U.K., even people who are not directly involved with agriculture need to play a
role in preventing the outbreak of diseases that would be devastating to the
livestock economy.
Foot and Mouth Disease Virus is a disease that affects hoofed livestock, in
particular sheep, cattle and swine. It will cost the United Kingdom billions of
dollars and several years to recover from the recent FMD outbreak.
The following are some suggestions for people traveling to countries where
FMD exists.
- You may not be able to visit areas where livestock are found, but if
you do, make sure to disinfect your footwear thoroughly before returning home.
- If you are on agricultural business and will be working with livestock,
plan on leaving your boots there, as well as any clothing you might wear when
visiting. If you don’t want to leave the clothing there, plan on laundering
your farm clothing and cleaning your boots with disinfectant.
- The customs agent will ask you if you have visited a farm during your
visit. Be honest and thorough with your information. Some customs agents might
not take the time to examine and disinfect your footwear. This is a bit
alarming and is a definite weak link for keeping these diseases out of the
U.S.
- The virus may live on the mucus membranes of your nose and mouth for up
to 5 days. It is important that you not visit any farms and stay away from
livestock when you return home.
- These are simple considerations and will go a long way in protecting
our livestock industry as well as our economy.
Dianne Hellwig, DVM, PhD
Extension Livestock Specialist
University of Arkansas
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