Due to the serious consequences an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease would
have on Illinois agriculture and Illinois' economy, the Illinois Department
of Agriculture recommends certain steps be taken to protect the State from
of the introduction of the disease. The State must be particularly
vigilant because of the risk of international traffic through O'Hare
International Airport.

USDA/APHIS has listed the European Union and Argentina as posing either a
confirmed or potential threat from foot-and-mouth disease. Travelers and
certain shipments arriving from those countries should be subject to the
following requirements:

1. Travelers should be required to walk-through a shoe disinfectant
immediately after disembarking from the plane.

2. Currently travelers are told just before landing about the extremely
contagious nature of hoof-and-mouth. Anyone who has visited a farm in
those countries is strongly urged to hand clean all their shoes at the
airport. Before disembarking in the US, travelers should be
presented with a fact sheet like the one attached advising them on further
critical precautions that should be taken, including washing their
hair.

3. From watch-listed countries, the US should:
· disallow the importation of seed;
· place a moratorium on the importation of used agricultural equipment;
· continue to hold any shipment of meat, animal product or by-product
that does not meat the requirements of an FMD-affected country
until a final decision is made on the status of that country; and
· destroy any meat, animal product or by-product carried in by travelers
should be considered contraband and destroyed