NEWS RELEASE
February 10, 1998

Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Strategy Calls for
Mandatory Feeding Ban and Baiting Restriction

Engler Budget Calls for an Emergency Appropriation for Testing

In a continuing effort to eradicate tuberculosis in Michigan wild deer, the Department of Agriculture today presented details of a mandatory feeding ban on deer and elk to the Michigan Agriculture Commission. Governor Engler called for a mandatory feeding ban to eliminate the spread of bovine tuberculosis in white tail deer in Executive Directive 1998-1. The mandatory feeding ban will go into effect on May 1, 1998.

"The key to eliminating this disease is a mandatory ban on feeding," said Bob Bender, Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Coordinator. "Supplemental feeding concentrates and crowds the deer. Our goal is to establish a natural population of deer to avoid the possible transmission of bovine tuberculosis."

The order is in effect for all premises and land located in an area bordered by Interstate Highway 75 to the west, M-55 to the south, Lake Huron to the east and the Straits of Mackinac to the North. This includes Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle counties in their entirety and portions of Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Ogemaw, Otsego and Roscommon counties. The area was expanded from the original five county area to effectively eradicate the disease.

Governor Engler will also ask the Legislature for an emergency appropriation of $500,000 to continue to conduct extensive tuberculosis tests on more than 20,000 farm animals in this area.

"Michigan’s cattle population has been tuberculosis-free since 1979. This mandatory feeding ban is extremely important to prevent any possibility of contamination to Michigan cattle," said Department of Agriculture Director Dan Wyant. The Department of Agriculture has the authority to ban feeding in a disease situation under the Animal Industry Act.

The Department of Natural Resources is issuing for public comment a wildlife conservation order to define and implement baiting restrictions in the identified area. Baiting would be restricted by the kind of material used (exclusively grain seeds or pellets, or both), by date (September 24, 1998 to the end of muzzleloader season), by method of placement (no use of mechanical or electronic devices to scatter, spread, tend or meter bait) and by volume (five gallons at any time at any hunting location). The Natural Resources Commission will take final action at its March 11 meeting in Lansing.

"Sportsmen have been extremely cooperative in our efforts," said Department of Natural Resources Director K.L. Cool. "They realize that to allow bovine tuberculosis to spread would be disastrous to wildlife health and hunting. These baiting restrictions will greatly assist us in our efforts to eradicate the disease from the white tail deer in Michigan."

The state surveillance program for bovine tuberculosis, a cooperative effort among the Michigan Departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Community Health, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Michigan State University, livestock producers, hunters and private hunt club owners discovered the disease in a captive white-tailed deer herd in Presque Isle County.

The surveillance program was put in place in 1995 to determine the extent of the problem, and to make sure the disease did not spread to livestock in the area of intensive surveillance Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle counties. The disease is spread among animals through the respiratory route by prolonged direct nose to nose exposure.

Tuberculosis has not been confirmed in Michigan cattle. Tissue from six suspect cattle, from two herds, have been sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory at the USDA in Ames, Iowa for definitive determination.

"As we take aggressive steps to eradicate this disease, consumers continue to have no reason to worry about the safety of their milk and meat supply," said Department of Community Health Director James K. Haveman. The suspect herd of cattle has been quarantined so there is no possibility of this suspect meat getting into the food chain. All Grade A milk in Michigan has been required for years to be pasteurized assuring the safety of Michigan’s milk supply.

The Departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Community Health will continue to work closely with individuals in the affected area as well as the Michigan Farm Bureau and the Michigan United Conservation Clubs to gather public input on the feeding ban. The Agriculture Commission and the Natural Resources Commission will meet in joint session on March 11, 1998, to hear public comment and act on rules and regulations relevant to bovine tuberculosis.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Geralyn Lasher
February 10, 1998 (517) 241-2112