USDA FMD Vaccine Bank

For quite some time the National Pork Producer Council has been requesting that the USDA create a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) stockpile in case there was an outbreak in the Unites States. That came closer to realty recently when the USDA made a "significant FMD vaccine bank purchase." FMD is a very contagious viral disease that affects all cloven hoof animals or divided hooves. That included for example pigs, cattle, sheep, goats and wildlife like deer.

In addition to FMD the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is preparing for other foreign animal diseases like African Swine Fever (ASF) and Classical Swine Fever (CFS.) The USDA's APHIS is seeking information from manufacturers on their ability to supply test kits for FMD, ASF and FMD. What is the old phrase plan for the worst and hope for the best?

The first goal of course is to try and prevent foreign animal diseases from entering the United States. However, there is a chance that they could spread to the United States so it is important to plant for the worst!