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Livestock disaster preparedness program completed in Texas Panhandle

extension.org

The Regional Resiliency Assessment Program (RRAP) was recently completed in the Texas Panhandle – a major region for cattle feedlots, hog production and the dairy industry.  The 18-month training helps prepare the cattle feeding and livestock industry against natural and manmade threats according to a recent article in PR Web.

The Panhandle Regional Planning Commission led the project. 

“The RRAP project was guided by industry experts; people that clearly understand the needs of producers who were able to translate resiliency goals into practical terms that made sense to the industry. In a sense, the RRAP products were not created for the livestock industry; rather, they were created by the livestock industry,” said John Kiehl, regional services director, Panhandle Regional Planning Commission.

“Cubic is proud to partner with the Panhandle Regional Planning Committee on this significant project. The RRAP project illustrates the absolute need for emergency managers at all levels to obtain knowledge of animal feeding operations within their area of responsibility. The loss of large scale feeding operations, from any cause, will result in catastrophic economic losses,” said Mike Midgley, director of Homeland Security Programs at Cubic

Illnesses like Foot-and-Mouth Disease and other Foreign and Emerging Animal Diseases, would have a devastating impact on the economy.

“The importance of the cattle feeding industry to the people and economy of the Texas Panhandle has been recognized by the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission, the Panhandle Regional Emergency Management Advisory Committee and the Panhandle AgroSecurity Working Group for many years,” said Ross Wilson, president and chief executive officer of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association. “With the strong support and expertise from those groups, as well as important input from county judges and emergency managers throughout the region, the RRAP project is a great success story of collaboration, coordination and communication among a diverse group of stakeholders.”