MADISON, Wisconsin – A Wisconsin farmer and an Iowa cattle buyer were ordered to pay civil forfeitures totaling more than $1,500 for importing cattle into Wisconsin without a valid Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), says the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP).
Roger C. Vogt, a farmer from Glen Haven, Wisconsin, and Duane VanderVeen, a cattle buyer and owner of Westview Cattle Company headquartered in Harris, Iowa, have agreed to pay forfeitures to the Grant County Court as a result of a nearly year-long investigation that began in August 2013. Michigan Department of Agriculture authorities contacted Minnesota Board of Animal Health when they determined that tuberculosis (TB) exposed calves had been shipped from Westview Cattle Company’s gathering facility in Reading, Michigan to Minnesota and Iowa. Further investigation by Minnesota revealed that 666 head of cattle had instead been diverted to Vogt’s farm in Wisconsin during July and October of 2012 and held there for several months.
“Any TB affected cattle or cattle from a TB affected herd pose a risk of infecting Wisconsin cattle and since TB is a very costly disease with possible human health risks, we want to keep it out of Wisconsin,” says Dr. Paul McGraw, Wisconsin state veterinarian.
Wisconsin law requires that a CVI must be completed prior to interstate shipments of cattle destined for Wisconsin. The cattle were not eligible to enter Wisconsin since they did not have a negative tuberculosis test, official identification and valid CVIs.
“Our animal health laws are in place to protect animals, humans and the livestock industry,” McGraw said. “Most importers follow the rules, but disease has no borders so we have to make every effort to control entry into our state.”
These cattle had already been shipped to their destination farms in Minnesota and Iowa by the time Wisconsin authorities were notified that the cattle had been in Wisconsin for several months. Since then, follow-up TB testing was done on Vogt’s remaining cattle and all tests were negative for TB.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Agriculture