Underserved non-commercial livestock and poultry owner (NLPO) perception of a County Animal Security and Health Network Jason Wilson 1, Shannon H. Degenhart 2, Ph.D., and Tom A. Vestal 2, Ph.D. 1 Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, 2 Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M University, The National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense; College Station, Texas Introduction “Historically, foreign and zoonotic animal disease outbreaks in other countries have been responsible for tremendous economic losses to livestock industries, overwhelming health issues in affected human populations, and devastating sociologic and economic effects experienced by communities. To prevent the United States from experiencing similar debilitating losses, early detection and rapid reporting is essential” (Vestal and Degenhart, 2008). “Individual livestock owners must be our first line of defense against a foreign animal or zoonotic disease outbreak. By implementing biosecurity practices, livestock owners could potentially reduce the threat to the agricultural infrastructure” (F. C. Faries, DVM and A. I. Dement, personal communications, May 21, 2007). "They must keep a sharp eye on livestock and promptly report any unusual signs of disease. Early detection and reporting could prevent the loss of [life and/or] billions of dollars for our livestock industries and communities" (Faries and Dement, 2006, p ). Early detection and reporting by difficult to reach NLPO is critical to mitigated adverse impacts of animal diseases on the agriculture infrastructure Exotic Newcastle Disease (END): Believed introduced to US from 1 bird smuggled in from Mexico Existed in the backyard flocks of underserved and non-commercial livestock and poultry owners (NLPO) for 6 months prior to detection when a producer had 200 birds die in 24 hours. Within 8 months of detection, over 3.5 million birds depopulated, 22 commercial flocks and1,900 private premises affected, and 34 countries suspended the importation of poultry and poultry products from the 3 affected states. A 2006 FAZD Center needs assessment identified feed retailers as the most common conduit for communicating animal disease information to NLPO communities. Proposed a county-level communications network connecting state veterinarians to feed retailers via the existing Cooperative Extension System, the County Animal Security & Health Network (CASHN). CASHN Community Seminar Results Data were collected from 277 participants attending CASHN Community Seminars, 55% of which self selected as NLPO. 51% visited feed store 2-3 times a month or more compared to only 4% visiting the veterinarian with the same frequency. Top 4 species NLPO buy feed for were: 85% of NLPO indicated CASHN would increase their confidence in the animal disease- related information they received. 78% of NLPO were interest in receiving information through CASHN. Top 4 communication channels used by NLPO to obtain animal disease-related information. Veterinarian County Extension Educator Internet Radio 74% of NLPO believed CASHN was useful to protect commercial and non-commercial livestock and poultry owners. Types of animal disease-related information that NLPO indicated would be useful through a system such as CASHN: Species and /or disease specific information Publications, radio programs, and websites Disease origins, locations, symptoms, and what to do Problems with other countries of possible or suspected illnesses Acknowledgements This project was funded through the Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense Center of Excellence by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate, Office of University Programs Literature Cited Faries, F. C., Jr, & Dement, A. I. (2006). Foreign and emerging animal disease handbook: Train- the-trainers curriculum. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University System. Vestal, T. A. & Degenhart, S. H. (2008). A county animal security and health network (CASHN) for early detection/rapid response to foreign and zoonotic animal diseases. For More Information For more information on the National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense visit our website at Recommendations Understanding of NLPO perceptions of a network such as CASHN and types of information needed will enhance the ability to reach and educate NLPO in a timely manner, reducing the threat of catastrophic foreign animal and zoonotic disease to the US agricultural infrastructure. NLPO perceptions and informational needs will help guide the creation of the CASHN resource kit for use nation-wide by state veterinarians and Extension in adoption of the CASHN concept and NLPO educational programming. Successful state-wide implementation of CASHN will facilitate the adoption of a nation- wide network of fostered relationships with feed retailer managers by county-based Cooperative Extension educators in all 3,066 U.S. counties. Purpose and Objectives The purpose of this project was to identify the perceptions of NLPO of the usefulness and practicality of County Animal Security and Health Network (CASHN) concept for transmitting vital animal disease related alerts and educational information through feed retailers. The objectives used to fulfill the purpose of this project were: 1.Measure frequency of veterinarian and feed store visitation by NLPO. 2.Measure NLPO’s confidence in various information sources. 3.Identify NLPO demographics such as types of livestock or poultry for which they buy feed. 4.Identify the NLPO’s normal means of gaining and verifying animal disease-related information. 5.Identify NLPO’s perception of the usefulness of the CASHN concept. CASHN Pilot Test Six state pilot test (AR, KY, MT, NC, TN, and TX) led by minority serving land-grant institution (MSI) (1890 and 1994) Cooperative Extension Programs with existing outreach capacity for underserved audiences. 43 generally rural counties and 108 Feed Retailers participated. 3 test alerts of CASHN per state were initiated. Feed Retailer demographic data indicated 318 NLPO visit feed stores each week. County Extension educators conducted at least one educational seminar (hosted by a feed retailer) targeting 25 NLPO to gather perceptions of the CASHN concept. CASHN averaged of 2.5 feed retailers per county and averaged 2.1 days for message to reach feed retailers from state veterinarians. Alerts transmitted through CASHN could potentially reach 795 NLPO per county within one work week. CASHN County-level network of feed retailers maintained by County Extension Educators activated by the State Veterinarian to transmit critical disease alerts & educational materials to NLPO.