Knowledgeable, Ready, Able: A Comprehensive Extension Agro-security Information Program for the Livestock & Poultry Industries

Tom Glanville, Iowa State University, Don Klingborg, University of California -Davis, Mark Hutchinson, University of Maine, Dale Rozeboom, Michigan State University, and Jean Bonhotal, Cornell University Scope of Problem During the past decade the poultry and livestock industries [1] have experienced many mass mortality incidents worldwide. In North America alone, mass animal losses have been caused by hurricanes (Katrina, 2005; Rita, 2005); rangeland wild fires (North Texas, 2006); blizzards (Kansas, Colorado, 2007); prolonged heat stress (California, 2006); flooding (Midwest, 2009); Exotic Newcastle Disease incursion (California, 2001); and avian influenza outbreaks (Alberta, 2004; Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, 2002). Furthermore, untold numbers of producers and their insurers have been impacted by local fires, ventilation system failures, building collapse, and disease, resulting in animal loss. Responding to industry-wide concern regarding the frequency and impact of catastrophic animal losses, the U.S. Animal Health Association (USAHA) issued a resolution in 2009 calling for expanded research and emergency management programs to address “knowledge and capability gaps related to mass animal mortality management” (USAHA, 2009). This call was seconded by a comprehensive review (Gilpen et al., 2009) of more than 2,000 emergency response articles published during the period 1965-2007 that identified significant gaps in educational and training materials pertaining to agricultural emergencies and called for development and delivery of agriculture-specific information for first responders, livestock producers, importers, shippers, international travelers, and the general public. Program Mission/Vision This paper proposes to fill knowledge and capability agro-security [2] gaps in the U.S. animal industries through a coordinated multi-component USDA/Extension program designed to 1. Educate producers, industry suppliers, and service providers about pre-event i…