Dec 18, 2008 - 06:47:31 CST
North Dakota is not ready to relax import restrictions on Minnesota cattle because of fears over bovine tuberculosis.Producers and state officials are worried that importing Minnesota cattle could harm North Dakota's tuberculosis-free status, which it has held since 1976.
The state Board of Animal Health at its quarterly meeting on Wednesday took no action to lift the import restrictions on Minnesota cattle.
"We're charged with protecting our state's animal health," board member Paula Swenson said. "We can't afford a mess like they have in Minnesota."
In February, the board imposed import restrictions on Minnesota cattle because of bovine TB in cattle and wild deer in the northwestern part of the state. The federal Agriculture Department in October granted Minnesota "split state status" for bovine TB, which relaxed testing requirements for cattle producers in the state except those in parts of four northwestern counties where the disease has been found.
State Veterinarian Susan Keller said North Dakota is one of a handful of states that has not recognized Minnesota's split state designation.
North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson urged the board to work with Minnesota officials. Johnson said it was better to "send suggestions how to make it work than to be silent."
Board member Dick Roth, a Fargo veterinarian, said he might support Minnesota's split state status if boundaries were expanded and more testing was done.
Bill Hartmann, Minnesota's state veterinarian, said his state has expanded testing of livestock and wild deer within and outside the areas where the disease has been found.
"I think what we're doing is a pretty aggressive approach," Hartmann said in a telephone interview. "I think the boundaries are adequate to contain the disease.
"The boundaries will not be extended at this point - there is no reason in our minds or in the minds of USDA to expand the boundaries," he said.
Keller and Johnson said North Dakota should not make testing requirements too onerous on other states.
Johnson called it the Golden Rule. "Are we willing to be on the other end of this if the tables are reversed?" Johnson said.
Said Keller: "It could come back and haunt us - we could be in the same pickle."
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