Copyright WHR 2007

By Christy Howard Parsons

The Report has learned that USDA Veterinary Medical Officers Dr. Poe and Dr. Bourgeois arrived at the Kentucky After Christmas Sale this morning. The VMOs are accompanied by a USDA videographer, two state veterinarians and two state patrolmen. According to Report representative Linda Scrivner, in the first hour of the sale, there have not been any reported problems.

According to WHTA President Wink Groover, the VMOs are focusing on scar rule violations. The joint VMO-DQP clinic on the scar rule is scheduled for next week in Shelbyville, Tenn.

“I have been talking with officials in Washington, and I have been assured that the industry and the department were going to work together this year. Now they [the USDA VMOs] have come into the sale checking for the scar rule, before we have even had a clinic where we could all get on the same page. I’ve told the trainers that we are going to try to work together, and this undermines my credibility with them. I am just disappointed that they have jumped the gun,” said Groover.