Ag Department establishes statewide
protocol for Foot and Mouth Disease

LAKEWOOD, Colo. - The Colorado Department of Agriculture has established a
protocol that focuses on preventive measures and outlines the actions taken
if foot and mouth disease (FMD) should be found in the state. The Colorado
Agricultural Commission adopted the protocol today.

"With the disease crippling the farm industry in England, we wanted to
ensure that the same wouldn't happen here," said Wayne Cunningham, state
veterinarian. "The actions listed in the protocol will help reduce the
threat of occurrence and will help contain the spread of the disease, if it
should reach us here in Colorado."

Preventive measures include not allowing cloven-hoofed animals from FMD
countries and regions into the state until six months after state and
federal agencies have declared the area FMD free. Horses, companion animals
and exotic animals from an FMD country or region will be denied entrance as
well.

If the disease is found to have entered Colorado, the Department plans to
take the following actions: quarantine premises and animals, establish a
quarantine area with a radius of 20 miles and close livestock markets.

"While these actions might seem harsh, we want to make sure that we're doing
everything possible to protect our industry and reduce the devastating
impact of the disease," said Ron Ackerman, veterinarian at the Colorado
Department of Agriculture.

Foot and mouth disease is a viral ailment that causes physical sores on an
infected animal and sometimes results in death. It can be spread through
means ranging from wind currents to clothing. All cloven-hoofed animals,
such as pets, cattle, sheep, swine, deer and bison, are susceptible, but
humans are rarely infected. Horses are not susceptible to the disease but
can act as carriers. The United States has no confirmed cases of the disease
since 1929.

Those with questions concerning foot and mouth disease can contact Ron
Ackerman at (303) 239-4168 or Ron.Ackerman@ag.state.co.us. For a copy of the
complete FMD protocol, access the Internet at www.ag.state.co.us.

###

Linh Truong
Public Information Officer
Colorado Department of Agriculture
phone (303) 239-4100
fax (303) 239-4176
linh.truong@ag.state.co.us