Economic Impacts of Animal Disease Management and Policy

摘要

Globalization in the agricultural sector increases the potential for animal diseaseintroductions, a form of invasive species increasingly critical for the livestocksector. The U.S. livestock sector has been largely protected from major outbreaksof animal disease through border inspection regimes. But increasing tradeexpands opportunities for transmitting animal diseases across borders. Thepotential economic importance of the introduction of a significant animal diseaseis evident when one considers that approximately one-half of agricultural incomederives from the animal product sector. A devastating animal disease outbreakwould have serious economic impacts on producers, the marketing chain andgross agricultural income.