IDAHO’S BRUCELLOSIS CLASS FREE STATUS RESTORED
Governor Applauds Industry and State Cooperation Leading to USDA Decision

(Boise) – Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter announced today that Idaho’s brucellosis status has been upgraded from Class A to Class Free by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The decision was made official with publication of an interim rule in the Federal Register this week.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the way cattle producers, animal health officials and wildlife managers have pulled together to address this important disease issue. Today’s announcement is a product of outstanding communication and cooperation between Idaho’s cattle industry, the Governor’s Brucellosis Taskforce, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game,” Governor Otter said.

Idaho’s brucellosis status was downgraded to Class A in early 2006 after an infected cattle herd was discovered in Swan Valley. The downgrade prompted an increase in testing and surveillance for brucellosis across the state. Idaho cattle producers bore the brunt of the cost for the increased surveillance and testing necessary to regain Class Free status.

A return to Class Free status opens the door for removing the testing requirements for intact male and female cattle exported from the state of Idaho.

“This announcement is great news for Idaho cattle producers,” said Jeff Faulkner, a fourth generation rancher from Gooding and 2007 president of the Idaho Cattle Association. “Idaho’s cattle industry has worked awful hard to regain Class Free status but we’re not done yet. Keeping the upgraded status will require our continued vigilance to prevent the spread of brucellosis from wildlife to our cattle herds.”

Brucellosis is a bacterial disease that causes cattle and wildlife to abort fetuses. Idaho’s most recent cases of brucellosis in cattle are believed to have been the result of interaction with infected wild elk.

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