The Kansas Department of Agriculture is sponsoring a Livestock Mortality Workshop in Garden City on March 20 for cattle, swine and dairy owners to learn about options for managing large-scale mortality in their herds. The workshop will feature a keynote presentation by Gary Flory of G.A. Flory Consulting, a nationally recognized expert in agricultural and environmental challenges as part of animal disease and natural disaster response.

The Livestock Mortality Workshop will take place in the Grandstand Meeting Room at the Finney County Fairgrounds at 417 Lake Ave. in Garden City on Wednesday, March 20, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The workshop is free of charge and lunch will be provided, but registration is requested.

In addition to the keynote speaker, participants will receive information related to biosecurity, secure food supply planning and Animal Health Commissioner Justin Smith will also provide an update on Kansas’ disease response planning efforts. Other presentations will cover a variety of topics related to options for managing catastrophic mortality, including above-ground burial, the evolution of composting as a viable disposal option, and managing daily mortality during an outbreak.

Please register by March 15 at www.agriculture.ks.gov/emergencymanagement. For more information about the Livestock Mortality Workshop, contact David Hogg, KDA emergency management coordinator, at 785-564-7468 or David.Hogg@ks.gov.