7/18/2008
Parins: Foot in mouth disease
Can anyone have forgotten the Kagen/Laura Bush incident in the White House? (Would Kagen the statesman say THAT?) Too weird to be true. The newly-elected Steve Kagen visits the White House, and shares his exploits with a group that included a reporter with a recorder.
Then he approaches the President: “’I said to my wife, “Honey, just follow my lead.” She said, “Steven, it’s the president.” I said, “Yeah, but he’s not any taller than I am.” …. I said, “Mr. President, thank you for coming to Green Bay. My name is Dr. Multimillionaire. That was before the race. Now they call me Doctor Thousandaire’….’Then I go to his wife, “Hi Barbara, how are ya?” I did that because I learned on the campaign that the meanest thing you can say to another gentlemen is, “he’s a fine fellow,” and you then refer to his spouse by a different name.’”
So yesterday comes the news from the Wisconsin Ag Connection:
Rep. Kagen Co-Sponsors Bill to Protect Herds from FMD: A group of federal lawmakers, including Wisconsin Congressman Steve Kagen of Appleton, are introducing a bill to keep America's food supply safe while protecting the livestock industry from the devastating effects that a possible outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease would bring.
Isn’t it just too weird? Mr. Foot-in-Mouth works to control the spread of Foot and Mouth?
Now, this is certainly not to downplay the critical importance of maintaining a safe food supply – and a cattle industry safe from the scourges of a potentially “devastating” outbreak of disease. So, for our Ag Econ lesson for the day, here’s the rest of the story from WI Ag Connection.. …
. The Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Act of 2008 prohibits the importation of Argentine ruminants and swine, or any fresh, chilled or frozen meat or product of any ruminant or swine born, raised or slaughtered in Argentina until the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture certifies to Congress that every region of Argentina is free of FMD without vaccination.
The United States has been free of FMD since 1929. But experts say that one case of the disease could cost the economy billions of dollars in the first year. A 2001 outbreak in England led to the destruction of 6 million animals and cost the economy nearly $20 billion.
Richard Parins is President of the Brown County Taxpayers Association.
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