Changing their designation to nonmodified accredited status will restrict the movement of cattle and bison from Michigan to ensure that the disease does not spread. Bovine tuberculosis is a contagious, infectious, and communicable disease affecting cattle, bison, deer, elk, and humans. In both animals and people, the disease can cause lesions of the lung and bone, weight loss, and general debilitation.
Bovine tuberculosis can be fatal.
The status of a state is based on its freedom from evidence of tuberculosis, the effectiveness of the state's tuberculosis eradication program, and the degree of the state's compliance with the standards contained in the uniform methods and rules for bovine tuberculosis. USDA will publish an interim rule in the Federal Register this June to officially change Michigan's tuberculosis status to nonmodified accredited.