Meat industry steps in to help fight foot and mouth disease 'crisis'

Stakeholders in the meat industry have described foot and mouth disease (FMD) in SA as a crisis, saying the latest outbreak in March has seen China suspending imports from South Africa of all cloven-hoofed animal goods, including beef and other red meat products. 

“These exports contribute billions to the economy. We are now at a crisis stage as the burden of disease is threatening livelihoods and the sector’s viability,” said Louw van Reenen, spokesperson for the Red Meat and Livestock Primary Cluster.

On Monday, agriculture, land reform and rural development minister Thoko Didiza said SA is battling 56 cases of FMD at farms and communal areas in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, the North West and Gauteng.

Didiza said the outbreaks were caused by illegal movements of animals out of FMD-controlled zones in Limpopo.

Van Reenen said companies in the sector have been calling for urgent intervention with wider industry participation to implement biosecurity measures, which will go a long way in preventing FMD outbreaks.

This week, the cluster convened a meeting for industry stakeholders to discuss urgent intervention in the management of such disease outbreaks.

The SA Feedlot Association, Commercial Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO), Emergent Red Meat Producers’ Organisation and the Livestock Industry AAMP were among those that attended the meeting.

Director of animal health at the department of agriculture and land reform Dr Mpho Maja was also in attendance. 

“The event was a platform for the entire primary cluster — from the red meat industry services sector to those in animal health forums — to discuss constructive solutions as a collective and many of the solutions will be included in an implementation plan or a road map to better manage outbreaks,” Van Reenen said.

One of the key successes from the meeting was an agreement that will see the industry assist the government with vaccination of animals in “red zones”, which are areas susceptible to livestock being infected by FMD. 

“We are now permitted to get private sector vets to assist with vaccination efforts, which we have not previously been allowed to do,” Van Reenen added.

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