Prepare for FMD Before Disease Hits the U.S.

Weekly eNewsletter | March 1, 2021 | Volume 152

Save the Date: WLIC Annual Meeting - April 8th

Due to ongoing health concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic and large group gatherings, the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium (WLIC) Board of Directors has decided to host its annual member meeting using a virtual platform again this year. The meeting will be held on Thursday, April 8, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Please register in advance at www.wiid.org no later than April 2, 2020. You will receive a link to join the virtual meeting prior to April 8^th.

During the meeting, members will hear from Wisconsin Department of Agriculture staff, and will also hear a recap of 2020 activities and results.

RSVP TO VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEETING

Prepare for FMD Before Disease Hits the U.S.

If foot-and-mouth disease infects U.S. livestock herds, market disruption will be significant. “Foot-and-mouth disease is going to be a bigger disaster when it comes to market disruptions than what we face with COVID-19,” said Danelle Bickett-Weddle, associate director of the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University.

“Foot-and-mouth disease is considered the most contagious disease that prevents the trade of animals and animal products,” Bickett-Weddle said during a presentation at the Driftless Region Beef Conference, organized by University of Illinois Extension, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension.

March 16 - Cornerstone Dairy Academy

March 17-18 - 2021 PDPW Business Conference

How many Organic farms and ranches are there in Wisconsin?

Visit WLIC online to view the tag variation available to fit your production needs!

WLIC ONLINE STORE

Plan Ahead! Expect Shipping Delays!

Due to COVID-19 safety precautions affecting the production of tags, as well as slower shipping times with all carriers, there may be a delay in fulfilling and shipping your tag order. Please plan to add an additional 10 to 15 days to produce and ship your order – which means orders could take up to 25 days from the date ordered for delivery with standard shipping. (Under normal circumstances, it takes about 10 to 15 days to receive your order.)

We encourage you to plan ahead and allow for the additional shipping times. Please reach out to the WLIC Team if you have any questions or concerns.

Governor Proposes Beefing Up Meat Industry

Wis. Gov. Tony Evers recently proposed a $43 million investment in Wisconsin’s agricultural economy, to be included in his 2021-2023 biennial budget. The plan proposes investments for several programs to boost sales of agricultural products within Wisconsin and beyond. Among the proposals is a three-pronged plan to bolster meat processing. The governor proposes for 2022 and 2023 a total investment of $5.2 million in three areas.

Rapid Drop in U.S. COVID-19 Cases Could Spur More Beef, Pork Demand

After a surge in COVID-19 cases during the holidays, COVID-19 cases look to be falling again. The U.S. data shows COVID-19 infection rates are now down to levels not seen since early fall, with the seven-day rolling average under 65,000 cases. The death rate is also seeing a dramatic improvement, with fatalities nearly 30% lower than the week prior, and hospitalizations are down 15% in that same time.

DHS S&T Releases New Information Resource to Address African Swine Fever Proactively

As African Swine Fever (ASF) continues to spread among pigs throughout parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, the U.S Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is helping the scientific community and government decisionmakers get ahead of this devastating animal disease.