Foot and mouth disease threatens red meat farming in KZN as outbreak escalates

Red meat farming associations have raised concern regarding the spread of the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal.

This follows Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen announcing that the department would extend the boundaries of the Disease Management Area (DMA) first declared in 2021 following new cases being detected in Newcastle in northern KZN.

The Department of Agriculture on Monday said that the disease has now spread beyond the initial Disease Management Area (DMA) declared in 2021, when outbreaks of the SAT2 FMD strain first emerged in the province.

“No cloven-hoofed animals, their products, or genetic material may be moved to or within the DMA unless authorised by a state veterinary permit and in full compliance with the stipulated conditions of such permit,” it said.

The department added that Section 11 of the Animal Diseases Act placed a legal obligation on all animal owners and farm managers to take all reasonable steps to prevent their animals from becoming infected and to prevent the spread of diseases.

Dr Frikkie Mare, the CEO of the Red Meat Producers' Organisation, on Wednesday said the situation countrywide was still under control.

“Most outbreaks in other provinces have been controlled, except for the Eastern Cape, which has had outbreaks, but their control measures have been good and they haven’t had any new outbreaks recently,” Mare said.

“The big problem is definitely KZN. They have had a DMA for many years; after the area was declared, there have been outbreaks outside the area, and a couple of weeks back, the most recent one was south of Newcastle, which has led to the DMA being increased.”

Mare added that this meant there was now a large area in KZN that was government-controlled for foot and mouth disease.

“So it means that no animals may exit or enter this area without a permit from the veterinarians. The disease should be controlled by the state through vaccinating animals in the area to eradicate it,” he said.

“As it is large, it would need a huge amount of resources and vaccines that need to be purchased. The good thing is that we can start with the process to vaccinate, and the other good thing is we know where animals can move and can’t move.”

Mare said that the biggest problem was that farmers in the DMA can only sell in the area.

“They can't sell outside the area. If your animals tested positive or were vaccinated, there is a process to slaughter the animal. We still need to have a joint operational meeting with the government on what else can be done to relieve the pressure on farmers,” Mare said.

“If farmers can’t sell their animals, they have no means of income. The one piece of positive news is that the Department said that farmers in the DMA can apply for their animals not to be vaccinated if they have the correct biosecurity measures in place and their animals test negative for FMD.”

Dewald Olivier, the CEO at Red Meat Industry Services, said that the FMD outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal was serious, particularly with new cases now reported in the Newcastle area.

“The continued spread threatens both commercial and emerging farmers, as well as market access for South African red meat products, particularly in export markets that require strict biosecurity measures,” Olivier said.

He added that the expansion of the DMA meant that no livestock or related products may be moved within, into, or out of the DMA unless authorised by a State veterinary permit.

“These restrictions are critical for containing the outbreak and preventing further economic losses,” he said.

“In addition to the extended DMA boundaries, several measures are being implemented: Biosecurity enforcement: Farmers and animal owners are legally required to take all reasonable steps to prevent infection, including securing farm boundaries and disinfecting transport vehicles. RMIS is actively supporting industry and department efforts through the RMIS Traceability Platform, as well as the deployment of a biosecurity marshal to assist with enforcing disease control measures.”

Olivier said that South Africa’s red meat exports depended on maintaining FMD-free zones, adding that further outbreaks could lead to export bans, negatively impacting trade with key international partners.

“Movement restrictions may cause supply chain disruptions, leading to reduced slaughter volumes and higher prices for consumers. Many small-scale farmers rely on livestock sales for income. The inability to move animals to market could severely impact rural economies.”

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