The Department of Agriculture (DoA) has approved new Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) control measures that will reportedly provide farmers, veterinarians and veterinary authorities with a clear and practical, science-based framework for managing outbreaks while minimising economic losses.
The measures will consolidate and replace previous directives under Section 9 of the Animal Diseases Act, including the 2019 FMD Contingency Plan.
Government says South Africa will, for the first time, have a single integrated set of national control measures that clearly outline how FMD outbreaks must be managed – from detection through to recovery.
The department says the country’s livestock producers need certainty: clear rules, sound science and practical pathways that allow them to manage outbreaks without unnecessarily jeopardising their livelihoods.
FMD remains one of the most economically devastating animal diseases facing livestock producers. An outbreak can disrupt production, restrict market access, threaten jobs and place immense financial pressure on farming families and rural communities.
