Amid historically high cattle prices, Canadian producers say Ottawa risks undermining the country’s herd rebuilding efforts if Mercosur trade negotiations result in expanded South American beef access, as the sector remains economically vulnerable.

Disease outbreaks pose a real and growing threat to cattle operations of all sizes. Whether it’s a common concern, such as bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), or a foreign animal disease, such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), proactive biosecurity measures are key for disease prevention.

Biosecurity must be seen as more than just a reactive measure – it’s the proactive backbone of a resilient beef operation. Integrating enhanced biosecurity practices into your daily routine not only protects against everyday animal health risks but also positions your operation to participate in the Secure Beef Supply (SBS) Plan during a significant disease outbreak, like foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

It’s essential to recognize that biosecurity is not just about preventing major outbreaks; it’s also a practical, everyday approach to managing common animal health issues.

For cattle producers, feral swine aren’t just another wildlife species to be ignored or even tolerated. These wild pigs cut into profit margins, destroy land and threaten the livelihoods and buying power of landowners and consumers.

APHIS published a final rule on Nov. 13 that allows the importation of fresh beef from Paraguay. The agency conducted a risk analysis and ultimately decided that fresh beef can be imported safely from Paraguay under certain conditions.

Though the HPAI outbreak of 2022-23 was devastating, an outbreak of FMD in the U.S. could be far worse, particularly for the dairy industry.

Observing the effects of disease outbreaks in other animal agriculture industries creates an opportunity for dairy producers to look more closely at their biosecurity practices and ask, “Is my dairy prepared for a foreign animal disease threat?”

How we responded on the farm to COVID-19 tells us something about our willingness to go from 0 to 60 with biosecurity for animals.