TLU SA welcomes Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen’s announcement of the new national Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) control measures. The organisation regards the amendments as a positive step that could provide greater clarity for livestock producers while recognising the significant economic impact that prolonged outbreaks and restrictive control measures have on the livestock sector.
According to TLU SA, it is encouraging that greater emphasis is being placed on science-based decision-making and more practical solutions to enable producers to resume production without compromising biosecurity. The increased flexibility around quarantine, the recognition of vaccinated but uninfected animals as healthy animals, as well as alternatives to the culling of entire herds where this is unnecessary, are measures that the industry has long been calling for.
“Farmers have long been asking for clearer guidelines and greater certainty when outbreaks occur. It is encouraging that the new measures seek to strike a better balance between effective disease control and the economic sustainability of livestock farming,” said Bennie van Zyl, General Manager of TLU SA.
However, Van Zyl cautioned that the success of the new framework will depend not only on the content of the regulations, but also on how they are implemented.
“The Foot-and-Mouth Disease crisis has developed over a long period and is not simply the result of disease outbreaks, but also of an approach that remains, in many respects, constrained by outdated regulations and processes. While the new measures represent a significant improvement, they will not, on their own, be sufficient unless consideration is also given to making the system as a whole more effective.”
He said the greatest challenge remains South Africa’s capacity to detect outbreaks early, manage them effectively and provide adequate support to producers.
“The state simply does not have sufficient capacity on its own to address this challenge at the scale required. That is why every available source of expertise and capacity in South Africa should be utilised. The private sector has highly qualified veterinary expertise and practical experience which, within a properly regulated framework, could play a far greater role in maintaining healthy herds and keeping producers in production.”
TLU SA believes the time has come for a thorough review of the existing regulatory environment.
“Where regulations prevent the optimal use of available expertise and capacity, they should be amended without unnecessary delay. We cannot afford for outdated regulations or administrative obstacles to undermine either the control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease or the sustainability of our livestock producers.”
“Our objective must be to control the disease effectively, protect international markets and, at the same time, ensure that producers can continue to produce food. This requires a modern, practical approach in which every capable stakeholder is given the opportunity to contribute,” Van Zyl concluded.
