American Farmers & Ranchers, a general farm organization and mutual insurance company, issued a statement of support for action today by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) to require exhibitors in swine shows to have their premises identified prior to show participation.

“AFR supports ODAFF in its’ decision to continue swine shows in Oklahoma,” said AFR President Terry Detrick. “AFR is a strong supporter of all rural youth programs in the state. We agree that all 4-H and FFA members should continue to be able to compete and this process allows that opportunity. The premise identification requirement prior to exhibiting swine is a much more favorable solution to the alternative of shutting down these much loved family involved shows. It is less burdensome to have premise identification than to trade it for the possibility of a communicable disease with an inability to trace the problem.”

Oklahoma joins the ranks of Arizona, Colorado, Ohio and other national shows which require premise identification for participants.

AFR policy adopted by its delegates at its’ last annual convention on the subject states: “we support the current USDA premise identification program. Any future programs dealing with animal identification should be least burdensome to producers and maintain producer confidentiality.”

“The actions by ODAFF are consistent with our policy. The purpose of the program is to improve efficiency and speed of control by state health officials to combat any agriculture disease that might threaten the assets and very livelihood of Oklahoma agriculture producers. This action protects both social and economic concerns,” said Detrick. “Premise identification is a free service. ODAFF does not charge for it, and there are strict mandatory guidelines in place that such information cannot be released and must remain confidential.”

“We commend Governor Henry, Secretary Peach, the Board of Agriculture and state health officials for being pro-active in preparing in advance for issues that may affect the state’s pork industry,” concluded Detrick.

Participants in swine shows and exhibits will be required to have an official premise identification card issued by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry effective August 1. Officials say the rule will protect both economic and social interests.

“This is a very proactive step that lets Oklahomans decide how best to protect the health of our citizens, our livestock industry and our livestock show industry,” said Governor Brad Henry. “Suggestions were made earlier by the Centers for Disease Control and some commercial producers to eliminate swine shows completely, but this is a much better alternative that lets our 4-H and FFA members compete in livestock shows.”

Even though the Novel Influenza A-H1N1 is not known to exist in any U.S. swine herd, it is possible that a person with an influenza virus could transmit the disease to swine. State Secretary of Agriculture, Terry Peach, said if an influenza outbreak were to occur, rapid tracking of infected animals and animals they could have been in contact with would be critical to containing the disease.

“This is a tool we will need if an outbreak of influenza were to strike our state,” he said. “We are simply preparing ourselves in advance.”

A large percentage of show swine are kept on school farms, Peach said. In those cases the school farm will have its own premise identification and the exhibitors will not need additional identification.

“If the animal is always kept at the school, no other premise identification is required,” he said. “Also, if an exhibitor shows up at a livestock show without premise identification the new rule does not refuse them to show if they fill out the required identification form immediately.”

There is no charge for premise identification and all information is strictly confidential and cannot be released. No other livestock species brought for exhibition are required to have the premise identification at this time.

The State Board of Agriculture voted unanimously to approve the measure at its monthly board meeting Wednesday.

Premise identification is already required at many swine shows including the Fall Classic held in Duncan annually. Arizona, Colorado and Ohio also require premise identification for participants.

TALKING POINTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR PRODUCERS, AG EDUCATORS AND VETERINARIANS
From the Office of the Oklahoma State Veterinarian
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry

The current world wide influenza event has placed veterinary practitioners, veterinary animal health officials, swine producers, agriculture extension staff, agriculture educators and 4-H and FFA sponsors in a position to serve as technical experts and advisors to the public sector.

It is of prime importance that accurate information is made available, as concerns and questions mount. With the first reported human case in Oklahoma, there will be an increase in public concern.

Please look over the following talking points and recommendations:

• There is no evidence that the novel H1N1 influenza virus currently causing illness in humans is circulating anywhere in the U.S. swine herd.
• H1N1 and H3N2 Swine influenza is endemic in the swine population and something industry deals with routinely. These strains are not the novel H1N1 influenza virus.
• Federal and State governments are now referring to the novel strain as ‘H1N1 Flu A’ and not using species specific nomenclature.
• Pork is safe to eat and handle. The flu is a respiratory illness; it is not a food-borne illness.
• If you raise or work with swine, follow good biosecurity practices. Do not enter a farm or facility with swine if you have flu like symptoms (fever, cough, body aches and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea).
• If you return from travel to Mexico, do not enter a farm or facility with swine.
• Limit swine facility visitors to properly screened essential service personnel.
• Vaccinate pigs against the influenza virus.
• If you work with swine, you should be vaccinated for seasonal influenza virus. The current novel H1N1 virus causing illness in humans is a virus that has under gone genetic re-assortment. Sections of the RNA originated from human strains, avian strains and North American and Eurasian swine strains. Viral re-assortment occurs when two different flu viruses infect the same biologic host. Don’t be that host!
• There is the possibility of this infection spreading from humans to swine.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has reported a possible case of human to swine transmission of H1N1 Flu A. The swine herd was quarantined and sampled. The herd was found to be infected with Influenza A virus that was an H1 subtype. Some of the herd showed mild flu like symptoms. None of the pigs left the premise except to slaughter or under CFIA control. There has been no mortality and all pigs are showing signs of recovery.

Swine influenza is not a reportable disease in Oklahoma. We are asking that veterinarians, swine operators, extension personnel and Ag educators report cases of Swine Influenza Virus (SIV) or swine exhibiting influenza like illness (ILI) to the office of the State Veterinarian. If you have a report or any questions, please call our office. During office hours call 405 522-6131. After hours and on weekends call 405 ALL-STAR (255-7827)

Becky L. Brewer-Walker, D.V.M.
Oklahoma State Veterinarian

PARIS, April 27 (Reuters) – The flu virus spreading around the world should not be called “swine flu” as it also contains avian and human components and no pig was found ill with the disease so far, the World Animal Health body said on Monday.  A more logical name for it would be “North-American influenza”, a name based on its geographic origin just like the Spanish influenza, another human flu pandemic with animal origin that killed more than 50 million people in 1918-1919.  “The virus has not been isolated in animals to date.  Therefore it is not justified to name this disease swine  influenza,” the Paris-based organisation said in a statement.  Fears of a global flu pandemic are growing around the world after 103 people were killed in Mexico and new infections were found in the United States and Canada and possible cases as far afield as Europe, Israel and New Zealand.  The OIE warned that if the virus was shown to cause disease in animals virus circulation could worsen the regional and global situation for public health.  Fears there could be a global flu pandemic which would hurt fragile world economies has led to a broad-based decline in stocks, oil and other commodity markets on Monday.  Grain and oilseed markets fells sharply on concern that the outbreak could reduce feed demand for grain-hungry pigs. 

(Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide, Editing by Peter Blackburn) (sybille.delahamaide@thomsonreuters.com; +331 4949 5145; Reuters Messaging: sybille.delahamaide.reuters.com@reuters.net))

Statement By Secretary Of Agriculture Vilsack Regarding Human Cases of Swine Influenza A (H1N1)

“I would like to express my deepest sympathies for those who have lost loved ones to the flu as well as those who have been sickened.

I also wanted to reassure the public that there is no evidence at this time showing that swine have been infected with this virus.

According to scientists at USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, swine flu viruses are not transmitted by food so you cannot get swine flu from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork or pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills all viruses and other foodborne pathogens.

USDA has in place, and did so before the last week’s events, a surveillance system to monitor animal health. As an additional precautionary measure, I have asked USDA to reach out to agriculture officials in every state to affirm that they have no signs of this virus type in their state.

USDA will continue to work with other government agencies to monitor the situation and keep the public informed.”

Here are some websites Oklahoma State Veterinarian, Becky Brewer, suggested for more information on swine influenza.

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/news/releases/swine_flu.shtm