São Paulo, June 25, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - The interim President, José Alencar, declared that the occurrence of hoof and mouth disease detected in three animals in the state of Pará "is an isolated instance which is being taken seriously by the government, but there is no risk of contamination." Alencar was referring to Argentina's embargo on meat imports from Brazil, as a result of the discovery of the three cases. He also observed that the meat that Brazil exports comes from other regions, which are already free of hoof and mouth disease.

Alencar took part, yesterday (24), in the opening of the III Brazilian Agribusiness Congress, sponsored by the Brazilian Agribusiness Association (ABAG).

"Agribusiness in Brazil is a sector that deserves the attention of all authorities, not only the federal government, but state and municipal governments as well." he remarked at the event.

The acting President informed that the government is studying the creation of new credit lines to make Brazilian agriculture even more competitive. He praised the work of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Company (Embrapá) in the search for ways to improve Brazil's ability to compete.

"Embrapa is a company that needs to be strengthened more and more, because it plays a fundamental role in the development of agriculture and livestock raising," he asserted.

Reporter: Liésio Pereira
Translator: David Silberstein