Public Meetings being held

CHEBOYGAN -- Big changes could soon be on the way for some of northern Michigan cattle farmers.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture is announcing a proposed plan that would relax regulation of Bovine Tuberculosis testing.

In 1998 at the initiation of a TB eradication project, much of northern Michigan was placed within a specific Modified Accredited Zone (MAZ).

According to the Department of Agriculture, the proposed plan is "looking to shrink the MAZ to contain only the high-risk northeastern Lower Peninsula counties of Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, Oscoda, and Presque Isle and those portions of Ogemaw and Iosco counties with the high risk MAZ where there have been 40 cattle herd infections and 614 TB infected wild white-tailed deer since 1995."

"Because of that success we know where we have TB and we know where we do not," said State Veterinarian Steven Halstead. "we are looking to change the program to essentially reward that effort by shrinking the modified credited zone."

As it stands now, cattle producers must conduct annual TB tests on their entire herd. Under the proposed plan, counties in the northwest region considered to be at low-risk could enjoy more relaxed standards; less testing. Those counties considered to be low-risk include: Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, and Otsego.

Carl Reimann is the fifth generation working on his family's dairy farm in Cheboygan; a county that has seen no cases of Bovine TB. Reimann believes the new proposal is long overdue.

"I think it's a good idea, we've jumped through their hoops for over ten years and I think its time to move ahead in a different direction with some new rules and relaxation of some of them," Reimann said.

The plan still requires approval from the United States Department of Agriculture, but if the plan is okayed, cattle farmers would still have to take some precautions to ensure a complete segregation from the cattle herd and deer. That includes storing feed under cover and fencing cattle out of deer habits. Halstead says the specific measures would vary farm to farm.

While Halstead says the current testing regulations on the low-risk areas are "significant", he admits the changes they're seeking in the program is also a directly influenced by the state of Michigan's economy.

"We're anticipating the budget (for next fiscal year) will not be able to support the currently operating program so we need to move under this new plan to live within the financial constraints we have," Halstead said.

MDA will host a series of public information meetings next month to discuss the topic.

They will be held at the following locations:

WEST BRANCH -- Tuesday, July 7, 2009
2 pm Ogemaw County Extension Office - 205 South Eighth Street

TAWAS CITY -- Tuesday, July 7, 2009
7 pm Iosco County Annex Bldg - 420 West Lake Street

ALPENA -- Wednesday, July 8, 2009
10 am Thunder Bay National Marine Sancutary - 500 West Flectcher Street

ATLANTA/HILLMAN -- Wednesday, July 8, 2009
2 pm MDA's Atlanta Field Office - 16860 M-32 East
(MDA Field Office is located 4.5 miles east of the Atlanta Post Office)

GAYLORD -- Wednesday, July 8, 2009
7pm University Center, Room U111-112 - 90 Livingston Blvd.

CHEBOYGAN -- Thursday, July 9, 2009
10am Church of Christ Restored - 1200 Sand Road

HARBOR SPRINGS -- Thursday, July 9, 2009
2pm - John R. Watson Community Center - 3434 Harbor-Petoskey Road

TRAVERSE CITY -- Friday, July 10, 2009
10am - State Office Building - 701 South Elmwood, 3rd Floor