WV Farm Bureau Magazine January 2014 | Page 10

 VETERINARY HEALTH ENHANCEMENT ACT The number of veterinarians practicing in rural areas continues to decrease. Most veterinarians that do practice in rural areas do not provide services to large animals. The West Virginia Farm Bureau believes that the passage of the Veterinary Health Enhancement Act will help prevent a rural veterinarian crisis. We support passage of this bill, which would establish a scholarship program for veterinary students and a student loan repayment program for veterinarians who agree to practice in areas where there are veterinarian shortages, provided that, it is amended to require participants to offer large animal veterinary services. We also recommend that a national tuition relief program be established for veterinary students who agree to enter the food animal and rural veterinary fields. Furthermore, we support the large animal veterinarian retention program sponsored by the USDA Veterinary Services.  ANIMAL AND PLANT DISEASES Farm Bureau recommends that West Virginia University Experiment Station increase investigations and research into the prevention and/or cure of destructive livestock, poultry and plant diseases. Because of the influx of new and current diseases, permit regulations and strict biosecurity procedures should be followed when any research is conducted. Tuberculosis and Brucellosis are diseases common to livestock and humans. We recommend continued efforts to maintain Class FREE status in West Virginia. We also urge the West Virginia Department of Agriculture and Department of Environmental Protection plan for removal and disposal of infected material when a highly infectious disease, such as avian flu, occurs. The WV Department of Agriculture has been mandated by the USDA to develop an Animal Disease Traceability program. WV Farm Bureau should collaborate with WVDA to develop a program that will work by involving livestock producers in the development of this program. WVFB can be proactive in organizing regional meetings to solicit producer input for development of this state program. 10 West Virginia Farm Bureau News WVFB should actively support mandatory disease traceability because it will be a defining factor in the export market.  CONTROL OF INJURIOUS INSECTS Farm Bureau recommends that the State Department of Agriculture, working with the Agricultural Experiment Station, devise and use effective controls over Gypsy Moth, Japanese Beetle, Tent Caterpillar, Grasshoppers, Emerald Ash Borer, Asian Long horned Beetle, Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and other injurious insects. We recommend that all counties of West Virginia infested by Gypsy Moth be included in the Department of Agriculture spraying program, and that all private landowners be provided financial assistance and encouraged to participate in the program.  NOXIOUS WEEDS AND PLANTS Labor is the biggest expense in eradication. We recommend that the state supply the materials and training, and landowners provide the labor to eradicate noxious weeds. It is also recommended that all landowners, both private and public, be encouraged to participate in this process. It is further recommended that Chicory (chicorium intybus) be added to the list of noxious weeds.  CONTROL OF RABIES AND ADMINISTRATION OF VACCINE Farm Bureau recommends more strict enforcement of present laws for the control of rabies in wild and domestic animals. We recommend that the state give financial aid to farmers who find it necessary to vaccinate livestock due to exposure to rabid animals. We further recommend that the law designate the State Health Department as the leading agency to control rabies. The sheriff, conservation officer, county health department and any other agencies appointed by the State Health Department will be responsible for having the collected specimens of suspected rabid animals taken to the health department laboratory for examination. In addition, because of the decline in numbers of large animal veterinarians, WVFB recommends that livestock producers have access to purchase