On March 16th, Senator Torrey Westrom (R-Elbow Lake) held a hearing on research funding for the African Swine Fever (ASF) in the Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, and Housing Finance Committee. The bill, Senate File 3057, appropriates 675,000 dollars to update and automate testing for the swine sickness at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (VDL). While other bills were dropped from the hearing schedule as the legislature prepared to take an extended Easter Recess as a precaution against COVID-19 concerns, this bill was prioritized. Farm groups like the Pork Producers, MN State Cattlemen, and soybean farmers all benefit from the testing that goes on at the VDL.
“Our food supply will benefit from this proactive approach,” said Senator Mike Goggin (R-Red Wing), a member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, and Housing Policy Finance Committee. “These tests will be ready to go in the event of an outbreak. COVID-19 has shown us how quickly disease can spread, and we will be prepared to protect our livestock from a similar epidemic.”
Quick passage of SF3057 is crucial for purchasing new technology to increase the capacity of the VDL. It’s vital for farmers, as 5% of a herd has to be tested negative after an outbreak to bring any of them to market. Due to the nature of pork production, one major outbreak could impact thousands of animals.
The University of Minnesota has stated that this bill will allow them to more than double their equipment and testing ability. ASF is the number one priority for the MN Pork Producers. Commissioner Thom Petersen testified in favor of the bill, which passed to the Senate Finance Committee for further action.