Bovine TB Meeting

A bovine tuberculosis informational meeting was held on April 8th in Park River. The meeting was organized by District 10 State Senator Curtis Olafson and focused on the current status of the ongoing effort in Minnesota to eradicate tuberculosis after being identified in northwest Minnesota cattle herds and in the whitetail deer population in the same area. The meeting also provided valuable information on what cattle producers can do to help prevent further spread of the disease.

State officials who presented information for cattle producers were Dr. William Hartmann, Minnesota State Veterinarian, Dr. Susan Keller, North Dakota State Veterinarian, Roger Johnson, North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture and officials from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Also present were Ryan Bernstein, Legal Counsel to Governor John Hoeven, Wade Moser, Executive Vice President of the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, and local veterinarians.

The meeting was moderated by Senator Curtis Olafson and Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson, and all area producers are invited to attend.

Click on the link below to read the order issued on February 21st, 2008 by the North Dakota Board of Animal Health regarding the testing required for importation of Bovine TB affected species from Minnesota:

http://www.agdepartment.com/Programs/Livestock/BOAH/BoardOrder2008-01-MNTBCattleBisonGoatsFarmedCervi.pdf

For additional information about bovine tuberculosis, click on either of the links below:
http://www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases/0,1607,7-186-25804---,00.html

http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livestock/anhealth/jaa04s03.html

Farm Bill Forum

Seated left to right: Senator Curtis Olafson, Commissioner of Agriculture Roger Johnson, Governor John Hoeven, and Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer.

District 10 State Senator Curtis Olafson participated in the round-table discussion on the Farm Bill held in Bismarck on March 28th. The event was hosted by North Dakota Governor John Hoeven, and featured Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Schafer.

Participating in the forum were representatives of approximately 20 farm organizations, farm commodity groups, the banking industry, and a member of the ND Senate and the ND House of Representatives.

Photo courtesy of Shirley J. Olgeirson, Bismarck