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“USDA TESTING FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Senate section on pages S10655 on Oct. 17, 2002.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
USDA TESTING FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I rise today to urge Secretary Veneman to provide more details on the United States Department of Agriculture's recent announcement regarding chronic wasting disease, CWD, testing, and urge her to provide hunters with more testing opportunities for CWD.
On Tuesday of this week, USDA announced an increase of up to 200,000 more Government-approved tests for chronic wasting disease this deer hunting season. Prior to the announcement, USDA officials have said labs certified to test for the disease would only accommodate the needs of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, DNR, and not provide testing opportunities for hunters.
I appreciate USDA's recent decision to allow Government laboratories certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, to offer an additional 200,000 chronic wasting disease or CWD tests to Wisconsin hunters. As I noted in my September 24, 2002, letter to Secretary Veneman, given hunters' concerns in my state, it is appropriate for USDA to offer any excess test processing capacity in the Government system to Wisconsin on a priority basis. This assistance from USDA allows Wisconsin to be able to offer testing to our hunters on request, and gives Wisconsin hunters access to the ``gold standard'' immunohistochemistry, IHC, test.
While I commend USDA for these efforts, I will be closely monitoring the implementation of the new testing program in the State, and in particular the Department's stated commitment of providing 200,000 more tests to Wisconsin hunters. It is important to note that nine of the Government laboratories that will be processing Wisconsin tests this fall have not previously conducted such tests. Given the time it took to get the Wisconsin State Veterinary Laboratory in a position to be able to process CWD tests, USDA must be vigilant in ensuring that these Government labs are ready in the next month. In addition, I also urge USDA to assist the State of Wisconsin in ensuring that the labs that will process Wisconsin's CWD tests provide accurate and prompt information regarding the test processing costs.
I commend the USDA for finally taking steps to provide more testing opportunities through Government labs. But the USDA must do more, including continuing efforts to certify private labs, like the Marshfield Clinic, and to approve rapid test kits for this fall's hunt. I want to ensure that USDA meets, and I hope exceeds, its commitment of providing 200,000 additional tests to Wisconsin's hunters for this year's hunt.
To that end, I hope that the administration will endorse my legislation, S. 3090, the Comprehensive Wildlife Disease Testing Acceleration Act of 2002. This legislation would provide hunters with more testing opportunities for chronic wasting disease by requiring USDA to develop appropriate testing protocols and to certify private labs to conduct CWD tests.
My legislation will remove bureaucratic roadblocks by requiring the USDA to expand the number of labs that can provide CWD testing to hunters. Until I am satisfied that USDA has done everything possible to bring this disease under control, I will continue to press this legislation forward.
Our 2001 deer hunt involved more than 400,000 deer. With only 250,000 tests total for Wisconsin, some hunters may still lack the ability to have their deer tested. USDA must continue efforts to provide more testing opportunities for hunters. By certifying private labs like the Marshfield Clinic and approving a rapid test this fall, USDA can ensure that Wisconsin hunters have the information they deserve.
Action on this problem is urgently needed. I am glad that the Secretary has finally begun to take a step in the right direction, and I urge her to undertake all the necessary measures to bring these diseases under control.
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