By TIM ALEXANDER
Illinois Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Aside from hosting a recent simulated Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak response exercise in Wheaton, Ill. (see related story), the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) has undertaken a series of safety measures to protect animal health and improve emergency preparedness. The measures include:
•The scheduling of emergency preparedness meetings to help farmers and ranchers get ready for potential agricultural emergencies. The meetings raise awareness about local and state emergency planning efforts, biosecurity and their impact on producers.

•Requiring permits for livestock imported into the state for production or exhibition, giving state agriculture officials advance notice of animals entering the state and allowing for easier tracking of diseased animals.

•Funding the development of a Geographic Information System.
A first of its kind database of information to track farms, grain elevators and food processing plants, the database is currently under construction.

Perhaps the most controversial animal health/disease outbreak measure the IDOA has implemented is its voluntary online premises identification registry to identify every farm, feedlot, sale barn and slaughterhouse in the state that handles food animals.
IDOA views the registry as the first step towards implementation of a national animal ID system that would enable officials to rapidly trace the source of an animal disease outbreak or food emergency.
The national premises identification program supported by the USDA, IDOA and others is currently in limbo, according to Jim Kunkle, IDOA emergency program manager.
“USDA is trying to decide which way to go with the program,” he said, adding that Illinois and other states are closely monitoring USDA’s leanings on the issue. “We’re waiting for some direction from the USDA right now. We’re still strongly promoting premises identification.”

Currently, Illinois requires voluntary online premises ID registration from those bringing livestock to terminal shows.
“The only time it is required is for fairs that have market hogs coming in that are going to slaughter following the fair,” said Kunkle. “In addition, a number of the swine packaging plants are not taking exhibition animals unless they have (premises ID documentation).

“For the Illinois State Fair, we are requiring it for the swine going to terminal shows because that is what the packers are requiring.”
In addition, “a few” Illinois county fairs are voluntarily requiring premises ID registration for show animals, Kunkle said. To view the IDOA’s premises identification homepage, go to www.agr.state.il.us/premiseid