Topeka (WIBW) - Kansas and Oklahoma worked together Thursday to prepare for a possible outbreak of foreign animal disease.

The simulated drill tested how the two states would coordinate if they had to stop livestock movement in the event of an outbreak such as foot and mouth disease.

Officials tell us the scenario could happen, so it is best to have a plan.

“Many states have conducted exercises to test their response plans to a highly contagious foreign animal disease within their own borders, so this exercise provides the new dimension of coordinating activities to stop animal movement across a shared border,” said George Teagarden, commissioner of the Kansas Animal Health Department.

The exercise took place in Topeka, as well as on both sides of the Kansas and Oklahoma border.

“We conduct a number of exercises annually with our state partners in Kansas,” said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, Kansas adjutant general and director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management. “However, working with our partners across state lines is critical because disasters seldom stop at the state line. We consider foreign animal disease to be one of the major threats to our state’s economy and the more we exercise for it, the more everyone will know what to expect should it happen in the U.S.”

Animal health, agriculture, law enforcement, transportation and emergency management officials from both states participated in the exercise by working as players, evaluators and actors. It played out as realistically as possible, in real time, and involved emergency operations centers, key decision makers and local officials in both states. Traffic was screened at two border locations -- one at the intersection of Highways 160 and 183 near Sitka, Kan., and the other three miles north of Turpin, Okla., on Highway 83.

"Kansas is a leader in animal agriculture, so it's no surprise our state would be among the first to test this critical element of our foreign animal disease response plan," said Josh Svaty, acting secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture. "I'm proud that folks in my department have been able to help develop and carry out this exercise and that we will play a strong supporting role in a real event. It will take all of us working together, including our partners in neighboring states, to control the spread of diseases that could devastate our livestock industry."

Foot-and-mouth disease was last identified in the United States in 1929. It is a primary concern for animal health officials because it could have potentially devastating economic consequences due to disrupted trade and lost investor confidence.

The exercise was funded by a grant from Homeland Security.