ATLANTA, March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture
Tommy Irvin has announced that he will be visiting with British officials and
experts this week to discuss firsthand how they are handling Foot-and-Mouth
Disease.

Commissioner Irvin will be in Britain for the International Food
Exposition, the country's largest food show. The Georgia Department of
Agriculture will have a booth at the show to promote the state's agricultural
products. Commissioner Irvin will also be visiting his department's
international office in Brussels where he will confer with his staff about
trade and other issues, including Foot-and-Mouth Disease.

"Foot-and-Mouth Disease is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle,
swine, sheep, goats, deer, bison and other cloven hoofed animals. It poses a
serious threat to American agriculture and wildlife," said Commissioner Irvin.
"We have been advising Georgians visiting overseas to make sure they take
every precaution to prevent bringing this disease back to the United States."

Commissioner Irvin will leave for Brussels on March 21 and will return
from London on March 30.