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8-12-2003

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SEEKING CONTACT INFORMATION

Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass is asking livestock producers and veterinarians throughout the state for their e-mail addresses and fax numbers in an effort to build a communications database for the West Virginia Department of Agriculture’s (WVDA) Animal Health Division.

“I am asking for those in the livestock community to cooperate with this effort, which is a critical step in protecting human health, our food supply and our economy,” said Commissioner Douglass.

“Streamlining the movement of information among the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, our farmers and our animal health professionals is a highly effective and easy thing we can do to protect our food supply,” said Commissioner Douglass.

State Veterinarian Dr. Joe Starcher has already begun the initiative by setting up an emergency 24-hour call-forwarding system, and by compiling an e-mail/fax list of most of the state’s 300-plus veterinarians. Animal Health Division is part of national network through USDA that tracks diseases around the country and world.

“As state veterinarian, I get so much good information from various sources that I’d like to pass along to my colleagues and to the farm community,” said Dr. Starcher. “But the first step is to collect and assemble this information into a working list. We want to get started on the farmers, and we want to complete the information we’ve been compiling on the veterinarians.”

Dr. Starcher noted that rapid communication is crucial in containing any incidents of contagious animal diseases because the livestock population in this country is constantly on the move. An animal can be born, raised, fattened and eventually processed in many different areas of the country. West Virginia livestock producers with large herds, or who frequently move animals, are at greatest risk of seeing a disease make its way to their farm.

“Some cattle will travel a thousand miles or more between farm and fork,” said Dr. Starcher. “And so many of them are out there in interstate commerce, it’s almost impossible to keep track of an individual animal. We have to have knowledgeable people on the front lines - farmers and veterinarians included - and they need to be able to quickly reach my office at the first sign of something suspicious.”

Anyone who sees a suspicious farm situation or illness and is unable to reach his or her regular veterinarian can call the Animal Health Division at 304-558-2214. The call will automatically be forwarded after regular business hours.
Please send e-mail addresses to lwhitmire@ag.state.wv.us, or by fax at 304-558-2231.

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