The viral disease has spread westward from England to Scotland and Northern Ireland, prompting agriculture authorities in this country to worry that it could jump across the Atlantic because of free trade and travel. Ranchers are being told to protect their animals from anyone who has traveled to a country afflicted by the disease, such as England or Brazil, where an outbreak occurred last year. Experts are advising ranchers to isolate new animals, limit visitors to their property and disinfect their boots if they've traveled abroad. Of particular concern, they say, are hog-farming operations in which pigs are fed garbage, which could include meat scraps.
Some states ban the feeding of garbage to livestock slaughtered for food.
Texas requires only that the garbage be cooked. There are more than 500 garbage-feeder operations registered with the state, and they are subject to monthly inspections to make sure the feed is cooked. Clay County rancher Wilson Scaling said he is always concerned about potential threats to the cattle industry. They will stop at nothing. I'm not too worried about the importation of animals because I believe enough safeguards have been built in.