SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 1936. // ELIMINATION OF DISEASED CATTLE! STATEMENTS OF DR. JOHN R. MOHLER, CHIEF, BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY; J. W. TAPP, DIRECTOR, MARKETING AND MARKETING AGREEMENTS DIVISION, AGRICULTURAL ADJUSTMENT ADMINISTRATION; AND E. L. GAUMNITZ, CHIEF, DAIRY SECTION, MARKETING AGREEMENTS DIVISION, AGRICULTURAL ADJUSTMENT ADMINISTRATION ། Mr. CANNON. We will take up the item for the elimination of diseased cattle. This is a new item, Dr. Mohler. war's Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir. I submit the following statement for the record in explanation of this item, Mr. Chairman.', j Appropriation Act, 1936 Sec. 37 of act of Aug. 24, 1935 (Public, No. 320, 70th Cong, 49. Budget estimate, 1937. Increase. None. -------- $10, 000, 000 17, 500,000 Sec. 37 of the act of Aug. 24, 1935, authorized a total appropriation of $40,000,000 to enable the Secretary of Agriculture to eliminate diseased cattle, including cattle suffering from tuberculosis and Bang's disease, and to make payments to owners with respect thereto, for scientific experimentation and efforts to eradicaté disease in cattle, and for the purposes of the act of Apr. 7, 1934 (Jones-Connally Act), including removal of surplus products. Of this $40,000,000 authorization, $10,000,000 was actually appropriated by the act of Aug. 24, 1935 (referred to above); of which sum it is estimated that $7,000,000 will be obligated during the fiscal year 1936, leaving a balance of $3,000,000 to be applied to the fiscal year 1937. With the new appropriation of $17,500,000 recommended in the Budget for 1937, therefore, it is estimated that the total available or that year will be $20,500,000, as indicated in the foregoing project statement. (1) Eradicating tuberculosis.-The Budget estimates (all sources) provide as follows for eradicating tuberculosis in cattle: This activity is carried on by the Bureau of Animal Industry. It consists of a Nation-wide campaign, in cooperation with the States, under a uniform plan to eliminate bovine tuberculosis. This campaign was launched as a Federal-aid project after an extensive survey showed the disease was spreading. The States and livestock owners have looked to the Federal Government for leadership in this work since its inauguration, and desire that this assistance be continued, as many failures occurred when independent efforts were employed. Approximately $9,000,000 was appropriated last year by the various States to assist in this campaign. The appropriation has been divided to provide for operating expenses for supervision and indemnity for animals slaughtered. Emergency fund's were first made available in 1935 in order to bring about the elimination of tuberculosis more quickly than it could be accomplished by the use of the regular appropriations available for this purpose. This is being done by greatly expanding and intensifying the campaign. The work consists of administering the tuberculin test to cattle to determine whether they are affected with tuberculosis and the removal of the reactor animals. All animals classified as reactors are disposed of by slaughter under Federal or State supervision. Owners are compensated in part for the animals destroyed, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture. (2) Combating Bang's disease.-The Budget estimates provide as follows for combating Bang's disease: This activity is carried on by the Bureau of Animal Industry. The first Nation-wide effort to eliminate this malady, which in recent years has become one of major economic importance both to the dairy and beef cattle industries, was during 1935 under an allotment to the Bureau of Animal Industry by the Agricultural Adjustment Administration from funds provided by the JonesConnally Act. The object of this work is to aid the cattle producers in freeing their cattle from Bang's disease (contagious abortion). This is accomplished by eliminating cattle which react to the blood test for the disease. The work is conducted cooperativey in the various States and is vountary on the part of the owners, those desiring to participate signing an agreement with the Secretary which specifies the conditions under which animals are to be tested, how the herd is to be handed, and the disposition to be made of reactors. The work consists of collecting blood samples from cattle in herds submitted for the test by the owners, the testing of samples in the field and in laboratories to determine whether the animals are reactors to the test and the removal of reacting animals from the herd. These animals are disposed of by slaughter under Federal or State supervision. Owners are compensated in part for the animals destroyed, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture. (3) Experimentation in diseases of livestock.-In addition to the items for eradicating tuberculosis and combating Bang's disease, $150,000 is estimated for 1937 to continue experimentation in diseases of livestock, which is being carried on during 1936 by the Bureau of Animal Industry. The project includes a study of alleged remedies for abortion disease to determine whether they possess preventive or curative value. The studies of vaccines for abortion disease in cattle, especially under field conditions, are being broadened and intensified. Experimental work is also being carried on with mastitis. (4) Purchase and removal of surplus dairy products.-During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1937, it is proposed that $7,500,000 be appropriated for the purchase of surplus dairy products by the Agricultural Adjustment Administration. On the basis of probably numbers of milk cows, feed conditions, prices of dairy produc.s and feeds and the like, it appears that milk production during the year ending June 30, 1937, will be the highest on record and will probably result in dairy product prices substantially below parity prices for such products. At the same time, control of the production of dairy products should be undertaken only as a last resort, primarily because of the general undesirability of reducing supplies of such an important item in the diet and because the dairy industry is so widespread and the problems are so complex that the application of the allotment and benefit payment type of program in effect with respect to certain other major agricultural industries would be extremely difficult to administer. It appears desirable, therefore, to increase dairy product prices through a program designed to remove temporary surpluses during the flush production season and thus to effectuate the policy of Congress as stated in the act. During the past 2 years surplus stocks of dairy products have been purchased by the Agricultural Adjustment Administration with funds made available under authorization of the Jones-Connally Act. These funds are not available after June 30, 1936. It is therefore recommended that $7,500,000 be made available for such purchase during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1937. AMOUNT AUTHORIZED AND APPROPRIATED AND AMOUNT ESTIMATED FOR FISCAL YEAR 1937 Mr. CANNON. Dr. Mohler, if you care to make a preliminary statement in reference to this item we will be glad to hear you at this time. Mr. JUMP. Before Dr. Mohler makes that statement, Mr. Chairman, let me speak about the basis of this appropriation. Section 37 of the act of August 24, 1935, amending the Agricultural Adjustment Administration Act, and for other purposes, authorizes an appropriation of $40,000,000 to be made for the purpose of disease eradication and experimentation and for the removal of surplus dairy products; $10,000,000 of the $40,000,000 was actually appropriated in the act, leaving $30,000,000 for future appropriation. The seventeen and a half million asked for for 1937 is, therefore, the second increment of the $40,000,000, and if Congress appropriates the $17,500,000 it will mean that $27,500,000 of the $40,000,000 which was authorized in the act of August 24, 1935, will have been appropriated. The project statement on page 520 of the explanatory notes shows the distribution of those sums, both the $10,000.000 appropriated last August and also the proposed distribution of the $17,500,000 estimated for next year, as between disease eradication, removal of surplus dairy products, and so on. The disease-eradication work is carried on by allotments made to the Bureau of Animal Industry, under which they are carrying out a program for combating Bang's disease and for tuberculosis eradication, prepared jointly by the Bureau of Animal Industry and the dairy section of the A. Ä. A., represented here this morning by Dr. Gaumnitz. Dr. Mohler will explain the item in which the Bureau of Animal Industry is involved, which will leave us the other item in connection with dairy surplus removal, which Dr. Gaumnitz and Mr. Tapp, of the A. A. A., will explain. Mr. CANNON. That leaves what amount yet available for appropriation? Dr. MOHLER. That leaves $12,500,000. SUMMARY OF ERADICATION-WORK FUNDS Mr. CANNON. Dr. Mohler, we shall be glad to hear you. Dr. MOHLER. Mr. Chairman, when I was before the committee about 10 days ago I discussed in detail several matters relating to the progress of the work in the elimination of tuberculosis, Bang's disease, and mastitis. As you probably know, the various amounts being used for this work are recorded at different places in volume 1 of the mimeographed explanatory notes. My desire first is to present to the committee a consolidated summary of the funds received for this eradication work from the Jones-Connally Act, from the La Follette amendment to Public, 320—that is, the act of August 24, 1935-and also from the regular funds appropriated in the Agricultural Department appropriation bill, giving the total of all funds thus appropriated, as you will note by the table I am presenting to you. (The table referred to follows:) Summary showing use of Jones-Connally, sec. 37 of act of Aug. 24, 1935 (Public 320, 74th Cong.) and of regular United States Department of Agriculture funds for same projects Summary showing use of Jones-Connally, sec. 37 of act of Aug. 24, 1935 (Public 320, 74th Cong.) and of regular United States Department of Agriculture funds for same projects-Continued DECREASE OF TUBERCULOSIS IN ANIMALS Mr. CANNON. Is the decrease in tuberculosis due to the fact that many States are now practically disease free? Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir. It is because we have now on the modified accredited list the names of 37 States, and the biggest job remaining is to eradicate the disease from the States of New York and California, where most of the tuberculosis is present in the United States. Mr. CANNON. Judging from this tabulation, Bang's disease is now much the more serious problem of the two. Dr. MOHLER. It is very much more serious. COMBATING MASTITIS IN CATTLE Mr. CANNON. There has been a large decrease in the sum provided for tuberculosis; for 1937 it is only about 25 percent of the amount provided for the control of Bang's disease. Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir. Mr. CANNON. There is no provision for mastitis for the coming year? Dr. MOHLER. Not for 1937. Mr. CANNON. Mastitis is now under control? Dr. MOHLER. No, sir; it is only secondary in economic importance to Bang's disease. It is now more important than tuberculosis. |