April 2, 2004 - In order to obtain and implement split state status, the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) is proposing to revise its bovine tuberculosis (TB) management zones and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will be sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, today announced MDA Director Dan Wyant. The action was taken at the direction of a resolution passed by the Michigan Commission of Agriculture at their monthly meeting yesterday.

Before finalizing the zones, however, Wyant said MDA is opening a public comment period beginning today and running through Friday, May 7, as well as holding a public hearing to obtain additional input.

“Our TB zones have been designed to assist the state in detecting and controlling this disease by establishing various identification and testing requirements as well as movement restrictions,” Wyant said. “These changes and the MOU will help us progress in our state’s eradication efforts and are a critical component in obtaining split state status.”

Wyant also noted that numerous informational meetings and outreach had been previously conducted across the state and that these efforts will continue to help ensure producers are aware of the revisions and subsequent requirements, which are expected to be implemented on June 1, 2004.

Essentially, highlights of the proposed revisions are:

• Changing the previous three zones – Infected, Surveillance and Disease Free – to two zones. These new zones will be “Modified Accredited” (incorporates all of prior Infected and Surveillance zones plus three additional counties – Antrim, Charlevoix and Emmet) and “Modified Accredited Advanced,” which incorporates the remaining counties in Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas.
  
  
• Providing consistency between state and federal terminology, designations and requirements.

The public hearing will take place in three different locations to help ensure accessibility for impacted producers. The schedule is:

Hillman
10 a.m. – Monday, April 19
Hillman Community Center
24220 Veterans Memorial Hwy

Gaylord
6:30 p.m. – Monday, April 19
Best Western Alpine Lodge
833 W. Main St.

Escanaba
2 p.m. – Tuesday, April 20
U.P. State Fairgrounds
2401 12th Ave., N.

In addition, written comments are encouraged and will be accepted until 5 p.m. on the ending date – May 7, 2004 – of the comment period. They may be submitted to Robert Tarrant, MDA Hearing Officer, P.O. Box 30017, Lansing, MI  48909, via e-mail to MDA-Info@michigan.gov or via fax at 517/373-6015.

Click here for a copy of the proposed zoning order or split state status map, or, for more information on the state’s overall TB eradication efforts, visit www.michigan.gov/mda or the state’s Bovine TB Eradication Project website at www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases or contact MDA at 517/373-1077 or toll-free at 800/292-3939.

Since the TB Eradication effort began in Michigan, nearly all of the state’s 1 million livestock herds have been tested for the disease, with no TB found outside of an area in the northern Lower Peninsula.