North Central PA Times

The Pennsylvania state Senate has approved Senate Bill 979, introduced by Senator Lynda Schlegel Culver, aimed at protecting domestic animals and the food supply from dangerous transmissible diseases. The bill authorizes the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to require retailers to post information about these diseases at locations where domestic animals and feed are sold to the public.

Senator Culver emphasized the importance of disseminating information to the public as a means of preventing the spread of transmittable animal diseases. She stated, "If the public doesn't know about a problem and the ways to address it, people can't do their part to make a positive difference."

Currently, the Department of Agriculture has the authority to issue quarantines and regulate the keeping of domestic animals to contain transmissible diseases. However, there are no laws in place that compel retailers to provide information to the public on how to manage domestic animals to prevent or mitigate disease. Culver's bill seeks to address this gap by enabling the department to require retailers to post such information for public consumption.

The need for this legislation is highlighted by the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, affecting both commercial and backyard poultry flocks. While the commercial poultry industry receives regular communication about biosecurity and disease management, homeowners who keep backyard flocks may not have access to similar information.

"This bill is about ensuring the public has access to important information now and in the future," Senator Culver explained. "When there's a dangerous transmittable disease affecting domestic animals, we need tools like this to contain the problem and prevent it from spreading."

The bill will now move to the House of Representatives for consideration. If enacted, it would not only address the current avian influenza outbreak but also provide a framework for the department to tackle similar future outbreaks.

For more information about Senator Lynda Schlegel Culver and updates on legislative action, residents can visit SenatorCulver.com or follow her on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SenCulver.

Contact:

Sean Moll

Phone: 717-783-0192

To find out more, go to this link: https://senatorculver.com/2023/12/12/senate-approves-culver-bill-to-protect-domestic-animals-and-food-supply-against-disease/