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In light of recent outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease in Europe, however, we have reevaluated our long-standing practices for on-farm service. Our utmost concern now is what we can do to help you protect your livelihood.

This March, Cornell Cooperative Extension developed Biosecurity Protocols for Farm Visitors to aid producers in the prevention of Foot and Mouth Disease transmission to the United States. First Pioneer wishes to share these guidelines with agriculturists to aid you in the development of policies for your operation.

The current Foot and Mouth situation provides an opportunity to develop, examine or refine protocols for farm visitors. It is recognized that there are a number of individuals who need to visit the farm as part of the daily operations. These individuals include AI technicians, veterinarians, feed industry personnel, supply sales representatives and equipment repair individuals. There may also be a number of other individuals desiring access to the farm. As the farm owner, you have the ability to develop and enforce policies for individuals visiting your farm. The following guidelines should assist in developing your biosecurity program:

• Establish one area on the farm where visitors can enter. This area should not be an animal housing area.
• Keep a record of the names and dates of the visitors. This could be useful for tracking purposes if a disease outbreak occurs.
• Determine if the individuals have been on another farm prior to visiting your facility.
• Determine if there is any need for the individual to enter any animal housing areas on your farm.
• If they need to enter the animal housing area(s), insist that they wear clean clothes and boots on your farm that were not worn on the previous farm.
• For industry individuals who frequently visit the farm, consider providing a set of coveralls and boots for the individual to wear while on your farm.
• Provide a footbath or container of disinfectant for cleaning boots as the individual enters your farm.
• Provide footbaths or disinfectant containers at the entrance to each animal housing area on your farm. The individual should clean boots when moving between animal housing units.
• If possible, don't let visitors walk through the animal housing area or feed mangers.
• Visitors should be instructed not to touch the animals unless this is part of their job.

Foreign Visitors

• Determine how long the individual has been in the US and had no animal contact. This should be a minimum of 5 days. However, you can set the number of days that you require before admitting a visitor.
• The visitor should wear only clean clothing and boots on your farm. You may want to consider providing disposable coveralls and plastic boots for these individuals.
• Discourage the visitors from entering animal housing areas or walking in the feed mangers.
• Have footbaths or containers of disinfectants at the entrance to each animal housing area.

Vehicles and Equipment

• Specify a location in which vehicles entering the farm should park. This area should be away from the animal housing area.
• Ideally, vehicles would be sprayed and disinfected before entering your farm.
• If animals are to be loaded or unloaded onto trucks, it is best to bring the animal to the truck. The truck should be parked at an area removed from the animal housing facility.
• Don't let off-farm vehicles drive through the animal housing unit.
• Minimize the individuals operating the off-farm trucks from entering the animal housing unit. If they must enter the animal housing unit, require them to wear clean clothes and boots.
• Any equipment coming on to your farm (hoof trimming tables, etc.) should be cleaned before it enters your property. If it is not cleaned, do not permit it in the animal housing unit. Locate it on an area away from the barn and have it cleaned at that location.

Purchased Animals

• Work with your herd veterinarian to develop a testing, vaccination and quarantine protocol before bringing any purchased animals on to your farm.

For more information, visit the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/

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