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News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:Monday, February 19, 2008

Contact: Malissa Fritz, BAH Communications Director, 651-201-6830

Another TB infected herd found in st1:place w:st="on"> Minnesota; state prepares for status downgrade

Status change will mean new testing requirements for some Minnesota cattle and bison

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Board of Animal Health today announced that a Beltrami County beef cattle herd has tested positive for bovine Tuberculosis (TB). This is the fourth positive herd detected since October 2007, and it will likely result in the downgrade of Minnesota’s bovine TB status from Modified Accredited Advanced (MAA) to Modified Accredited (MA), as required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Code of Federal Regulations.

Since bovine TB was discovered in a northwest Minnesota beef cattle herd in July 2005, the disease investigation has found 11 infected beef cattle herds, all in Roseau and Beltrami counties. USDA regulations prescribe a downgrade in status when more than three herds are discovered within a 12 month period.

o:p> By dropping from MAA to MA, Minnesota moves to the third of five status levels and two steps down from the highest status level, TB-Free. When the downgrade becomes official, state producers will have to adhere to stricter federal and state testing requirements when shipping cattle or bison. The USDA will require all breeding animals to be tested for bovine TB within 60 days prior to shipment and a whole herd test within the previous 12 months. All feeder animals must have a TB test prior to movement. Cattle and bison are exempt from the testing requirement if they are moving interstate to a federally inspected slaughter facility. A Modified Accredited status may also require surveillance testing of dairy herds that sell milk.

“All Minnesota producers planning to ship animals interstate should still contact their veterinarian to determine state import requirements prior to movement,” said Minnesota Board of Animal Health Executive Director and State Veterinarian Dr. Bill Hartmann. “Individual state import requirements may differ from federal requirements, so it’s important to verify them prior to shipment.”

At the February 13, 2008, meeting of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, members approved a motion to proceed with obtaining split-state status in order to allow the majority of the state to upgrade its status, while the counties surrounding the core area affected by TB would remain MA.

“We consider it of utmost importance to do everything we can to limit the impact of bovine TB on the state’s cattle industry as a whole,” said Hartmann. “While the downgrade in our status is a setback, we are committed to eliminating this disease from the state.”

In the upcoming days, the Board will send approximately 42,000 letters to cattle producers, veterinarians, and auction markets across the state explaining the situation and changes to interstate movement requirements. In addition, animal health officials will convene several meetings to give producers an opportunity to hear from the Board and other state and federal agencies that are managing the eradication campaign. Following presentations from the Board of Animal Health and other state and federal agencies, there will be ample time for questions from the public. The meeting schedule is as follows:

· Lewiston – February 25, 10:00 a.m. – Lewiston Sales, 21241 Dutchman's Crossing Road

· Pipestone – February 25, 7:00 p.m. – Pipestone Livestock Auction, E. Highway 30

· Melrose – February 26, 10:00 a.m. – City Center, 225 E. 1^st Street N.

· Grygla – February 26, 7:00 p.m. – Grygla School, 114 N. Fladeland Ave.

· Thief River Falls – February 27, 9:00 a.m. – Northland Community and Technical College, 1101 Highway One E.

Exposure to bovine tuberculosis through the milk or meat supply is extremely unlikely. Meat inspectors check all cattle entering the marketplace for signs of the disease before and after slaughter. Any animal showing these signs is withheld from the food supply. In addition, adequate cooking destroys the bacteria. Further, the milk pasteurization process at processing plants destroys any potential bacteria.

As the official animal disease control and eradication agency of the State of Minnesota, the Board was created over 100 years ago to safeguard the health of the state’s domestic animals. In carrying out its mission, the Board is a part of a network of state agencies protecting public health and providing an abundant, wholesome food supply to Minnesota consumers.

For more information on TB, investigation updates, and the agency, visit the
Board's website at www.bah.state.mn.us.