Senate Bill 53, testing and reporting diseased animals

Diseased animals (could soon be changed.

Senate bill 53 has passed senate and the house.

For today's indiana farm report, i talked to the indiana state board of animal health about (why this bill important and what it means for local livestock farmers.

"senate bill 53 could (soon change the timeline requirements for reporting a diseased animal.

Right now, a veterinarian, owner, caretaker or custodian of an animal is required to report a disease within 48 hours.

""we're basically shortening the amount of time that a major disease or something that's on our reportable list gets reported to our office.

We're going from 48 hours to 24 hours."

24 hours... that's how long public information director, denise derrer, with indiana state board of animal health says diseases will now have to be reported.

Derrer says this requirement is for (all animals, but it's specially important for the livestock industry.

Derrer "livestock is a really important part of indiana's agricultural economy.

So everything we can do to make sure we're protected we want to make sure we're doing."

Don lehe, is one of the indiana state representatives sponsoring this bill... (nat( don "this type of thing is not very controversial.

Everyone supports healthy treatment of animals and healthy animals,."

Lehe knows if a disease were to arise, it can spread quickly.... he says the coronavirus is a prime example..... don "there wasn't really an animal disease issue this past year, but it kind of brought to light what could happen in a major dieaase."

That's why he believes this bill is important.... don "so i think probably the best way to state the need for it, or the intent, is to try to stop the potential spread of a disease as soon as possible."

So the big question is.... what impact will this disease reporting time change have on farmers?

Derrer "most livestock farmers are notgoing t directly from this bill in the fact that most of our farms don't have reportable diseases on them.

So really from day to day aspect it wont' impact them."

Derrer believes this is because usually it's the veterinarian who does the reporting.... derrer "we certainly encourage farmers to work closely with their veterinarian and frequently the veterinarian is the one who does the reporting."

The indiana state board of animal health has a list of the specific diseases that have to be reported within the 24 hour time period.

Derrer "if one of those diseases is identified, or suspected, is to get it reported to us as soon as it's confirmed."

News 18 also spoke to representative sheila klinker who's a co- sponsor of the bill.

Klinker says senate bill 53 is very timely and important.

If you would like to read the list of reportable diseases, we (will have that linked to this story on our website.