Posted 8-18-08

Gordon Advocates for New Policies to Combat Brucellosis

Buffalo, Wyo. (Gordon for Congress) -- When brucellosis turned up in a western Wyoming herd of cattle this year Mark Gordon was reminded of how the federal government can improve the way it deals with brucellosis and Wyoming ranchers. The disease infects cattle and is endemic to Yellowstone National Park and it causes cows to abort. Brucellosis is devastating for ranchers who have cattle that test positive and is costly for other ranchers because if Wyoming loses its brucellosis free status again producers have to pay to test cattle before shipping them out of state.

This doesn't have to be the case, according to Mark Gordon. Gordon is a rancher and businessman running in the Republican primary for U.S. House. He believes the federal government could make some easy changes to start to work on a more effective vaccine for brucellosis, but equally important is a more rational treatment of ranchers dealing with the disease.

"Right now research on brucellosis is limited because brucellosis is classified as a selective agent by the Department of Homeland Security," Gordon says.That classification means the disease agent must be kept in highly secure areas and researchers have to have security clearance from the federal government to work on brucellosis. "National security is a real concern and shouldn't be taken lightly, but we need some flexibility from the D.H.S. so that the University of Wyoming or the Wyoming Game and Fish can conduct research and work to eradicate brucellosis in Wyoming." He says this isn't a matter of needing more money from the federal government; it is a matter of changing the law to empower the states. "If we can bring this to Laramie and our state vet lab there is a very good chance we?ll move ahead with an effective vaccine," Gordon says. "?We have great scientists in this state we just have to give them more opportunities to tackle brucellosis." Brucellosis also affects bison and elk. A vaccine could also protect the state's wildlife from the disease.

Gordon has met with a member of the family in Daniel which owns the affected herd. "This is an agonizing position to be in; losing the seed stock your family has built for generations or risk the state's brucellosis free status. We have to give that family options other than destroying its entire herd." Gordon says the U.S.D.A.'s Animal and Plant Inspection Service should give these ranchers the option of testing out of having to destroy their herd because that is the equivalent of making them ruin several generations of investments.