State officials prepare for potential outbreak of "Hoof and Mouth"

State ag officials are laying the groundwork for a statewide drill to get the kinks out of the system of notifying Iowans should there be an outbreak of “foot and mouth” disease. State Ag Department spokeswoman Machelle Shaffer says the drill is scheduled for Thursday, July 12th.Shaffer says state officials and representatives of livestock associations will join forces at the state emergency command center in Johnston. She says they’ll start from the possibility of an outbreak all the through to what would happen if an outbreak has been confirmed.Shaffer attended a meeting in South Dakota last week where ag officials from five states compared notes about contingency plans for a “foot and mouth” outbreak. She says its important that they’re all on the same page.Shaffer and the others heard from an expert who went to Great Britain to help contain the foot and mouth outbreak, and another veterinarian who talked about how best to safeguard the U-S from the disease.