Alcona County producers rally over TB issue
Patty RamusA small group of Alcona County agricultural producers have banded together to make their concerns about proposed changes to the state's bovine tuberculosis eradication program known to state officials.
The grassroots group, made up of about a dozen members, started meeting in May after some had attended meetings hosted by the state earlier this year to explain the proposed changes. The group became more official as it kept meeting and eventually became known as the Alcona County Agricultural Producers and Friends.
"We talked about what our understanding was - what our concerns were with these agencies. We're finding that one of our problems is the communication with the different entities was very poor," said Candy Fulsher, the group's chairperson. "We think there are other options available other than asking farmers to go beyond what they're doing right now and to cause a lot of financial burden for them."
Michigan's bovine TB zones follow the U.S. Department of Agriculture's federal program and there are five stages for zonal designations. The Upper Peninsula currently is designated as TB free, which is the fifth stage. The northern Lower Peninsula has a stage three designation, known as a modified accredited zone. The southern Lower Peninsula is in the fourth stage of designation, known as a modified accredited advanced zone.
The MDA is proposing to shrink the modified accredited zone down to the five eastern counties: Presque Isle, Montmorency, Alpena, Oscoda and Alcona. The counties west of there would be raised up to modified accredited advanced. The shrunken modified accredited zone also would include those portions of Ogemaw and Iosco counties within the modified accredited zone high-risk area.The change would relax the TB testing requirements the farmers in the western part of the state would have to meet. The farmers would have to have a wildlife risk mitigation plan in place to have relaxed requirements, said State Veterinarian Steve Halstead.
Halstead said under the wildlife risk mitigation plan, farmers are being asked to keep water sources for deer and cattle separate, feeding cattle in areas where deer are excluded and protecting stored feed from being eaten by deer. The process involves a state employee visiting a farm to do a wildlife risk assessment and developing a management plan.
"It's basic stuff but how it is applied on each farm is unique to that farm," he said. "We've always talked about disease prevention and reducing risk of disease. This is the first time we've put it together as a specific part of the program that has a tangible benefit."
Fulsher said the group is concerned the wildlife mitigation plan will place harsh restrictions and increased costs on the farmers along with undue stress on the livestock. She personally wants to find out how stringent the guidelines are going to be. Her husband, Mark, and sister-in-law run the Gustin Township dairy operation and they became involved from fears they may be forced out of farming due to financial reasons.
"We have to understand why they're asking us to do certain things, what benefit it's going to have, what actions were considered and why they were taking them," she said.
The state has some cost-share money available for the wildlife risk mitigation to help defray the expense for farmers. While he wishes the state could sufficiently fund to protect every farmer, it's not a reality under the current budget, Halstead said.
"We're looking at what's the reasonable thing for the producer to do, how much the state can help and how do we balance that," he said.
Louella Byelich, a beef farmer from Harrisville Township, said she was invited to become part of the group and had felt her hands were tied after attending the bovine TB meeting earlier this year. The group is offering herself and others a chance to feel as if they can make a difference.
"I think it promises to hopefully involve more counties than just Alcona, that we can some how get the cooperation of others," she said. "I'm hoping in the near future, to see that we can get some leadership in these counties."
Improving communication between producers and the state is another goal of the group as it moves forward. So far, state officials agreed to meet with the group during its next meeting in mid-July and further meetings with officials are set to take place at the beginning of August, Fulsher said.
"I'm very pleased the state is willing to meet with us and take our questions and address our concerns," she said.
Halstead said the burden is on the state to be sure communication needs are met and it shouldn't be on the producers to fix communication issues. He appreciates the group's efforts and wants to hear what producers' concerns are. The department has added staff people, which should help improve contact with stakeholders, producers and others who are interested in the program.
Patty Ramus can be reached via e-mail at pramus@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5687.
