Questions and Answers
Are There Any Known Cases of Bovine TB Currently in New Mexico?
No. There have been two cases discovered since April of 2007, and in both cases the affected animals were depopulated. The history of those animals was traced (in some cases that trace-back effort is still underway) and TB testing has been performed on all herds where concerns were raised about contact with affected animals. No further cases of Bovine TB have been found. New Mexico is currently free of Bovine Tuburculosis.
What, Exactly, is Modified Accredited Advanced Status?
In simple terms, it means that two or more herds affected by TB have been detected in an accredited-free state or zone within a 48-month period. New Mexico had previously been divided into two zones, one MAA and one certified TB-Free. In April of 2007, a case of TB was discovered in a dairy herd in the TB-Free zone, detected during a routine test of animals at slaughter. A second case was recently identified, also in the TB-Free zone. The combination of these two discoveries in less than two years triggered our reclassification.
What is the impact on New Mexico?
Human Health Impact
While there is some risk to humans from Bovine TB, it is very small in this case, given that there have only been two incidents of Bovine TB in New Mexico in the last two years and those animals were immediately depopulated. This was enough to trigger the change in our status out of an abundance of caution in keeping TB-affected animals out of the food supply, but still a very small and isolated event in terms of any actual public health concern. The disease can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals or consumption of raw milk. It is not transmitted through consumption of pasteurized milk.
Economic Impact
The economic impact of this status change may end up being more significant. It is possible that it may become more difficult to find a market for some NM livestock. Various states now have more stringent entry requirements for cattle being shipped from our state, which may require more TB testing of cattle and more rigorous recording of individual animal ID when moving cattle. We expect these factors to have an economic impact on the livestock industry in our state, though it is too soon to know the exact extent.
The federal government has opened up a comment period during which anyone with concerns or reports of economic impact can communicate them directly to the federal government. Click Here to go to that page and make your comments. Producers are encouraged to do this so that the economic impact can be better understood.
How Long Will This Status Be in Effect?
There are two ways that this will play out, assuming no more cases of bovine TB are discovered in New Mexico. The first way is for this status to remain in effect statewide for two years, after which New Mexico will again be considered TB-free.
Secondly, New Mexico has applied to the USDA for a split-state status. If this were granted, it would mean that a two-county zone would retain the MAA status for two years, and the remainder of the state would be released as TB-free. The two counties, Roosevelt and Curry, contain half of the dairy herds and two-thirds of the dairy population in the state, and are where the cases of TB were found. On that basis, our state is attempting to limit the MAA status and its impact to just those counties. We will report any progress in that effort here immediately as developments occur.