N.C. Bill Targets Foot-and-Mouth

N.C. legislators passed a bill Wednesday afternoon that grants the state veterinarian strong authority to prevent and respond to a possible outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

The disease has reached epidemic proportions on the British Isles, forcing the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of livestock. The virus afflicts cloven-hooved animals, and though it usually is not fatal, it does cause severe weight loss in livestock and stops the production of milk.

Sen. Patrick Ballantine, R-Carteret, said the bill was necessary to protect North Carolina from a possible outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

"This serious epidemic could prove to be a catastrophe unless precautions are taken," Ballantine said.

State Veterinarian David Marshall said the bill would give his office the authority to implement measures that have not been considered before with other types of animal diseases.

The authority would be granted after the bill gains the approval of the Commissioner of Agriculture and Gov. Mike Easley, Marshall said. "This bill would allow (the state veterinarian) the authority to halt animal movement in and out of North Carolina if an outbreak should occur, in order to prevent the disease from coming into our state, or if it should appear here, to keep it from spreading to other states," Marshall said.

Other preventive measures include the slaughter and quarantine of cloven-hooved animals on infected premises. "(These measurements) are standard procedure for this type of outbreak of an extremely contagious disease," Marshall added.

Although foot-and-mouth disease does not affect humans, human beings can act as carriers for the disease, which mainly attacks cattle, sheep, goats, swine and deer. "This is the type of disease in which we don't have the luxury of waiting until it has happened to begin preparing for it," Marshall said.

Ballantine said that while he was somewhat concerned with the amount of power this bill gives the state veterinarian, an amendment was made Wednesday that requires the state veterinarian to consult with the governor while prevention measures are being taken.

Ballantine also said a sunset clause was placed on the bill before it was passed, which means the bill will expire in 2003.

"While the authority the bill gives the state veterinarian might be needed in the near future, that power won't last forever," Ballantine said.

He also said the bill is strictly a precautionary measure, and that no evidence of an outbreak has been found yet in North Carolina. "This is the type of situation where you want to act sooner rather than later," Ballantine said.

Tyler Bishop, a spokesman for N.C.-based Smithfield Foods Inc., the largest hog producer and pork processor in the world, said the company is, at first glance, supportive of the bill.

But Bishop added that company representatives have not had the chance yet to review the bill in its entirety.

"In the event that (foot-and-mouth disease) appears in North Carolina, the state veterinarian should have the power to eradicate the disease in a timely manner."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.