AGRICULTURE NEWS - Concern is rising again among farmers with another suspected round of foot and mouth disease (FMD), despite the Department of Agriculture’s efforts to prevent it from spreading.
This follows the initial outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal, which later spread to other parts of the country, including the Karan Beef feedlot facility in Heidelberg.
Minister unaware of foot and mouth disease outbreak
Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen said he was not aware of an outbreak.
“I know a few animals tested positive, but we are vaccinating at that feedlot.
“We are running the vaccine action pilot at Karan, so even if positive animals come in, the vaccination and quarantine before slaughter will prevent further spread. It’s why we chose a feedlot to pilot the mass vaccination process,” he said.
Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa chief economist Wandile Sihlobo said the fight against FMD was ongoing, adding that the reported infections were the same disease from the start of the year.
Red Meat Industry Services CEO Dewald Olivier said it was aware of at least three incidents of FMD and will be releasing a statement soon.
Calls for privatisation to combat outbreak
Southern African Agri Initiative chair Theo de Jager said for the sake of the survival of the livestock industry, SA must privatise as many of the functions in the fight against FMD as possible.
“Take it out of a dysfunctional department, out of politics and fight it with the best available expertise and technology. The state has not been able to do this for a very long time,” he said.
“Tests and vaccines are very expensive. Farmers want to know what it costs the state to have the tests done, versus what is ultimately paid for. The same applies to the vaccine.
“Opacity and poor or no communication mean that farmers are at the mercy of rumours. For example, there are rumours that we pay 250% more for doses of the vaccine if it is purchased from Botswana,” he said.
De Jager questioned who was profiting from a national disaster that has the potential to destroy SA’s entire livestock industry.
“The vaccine from Botswana is decades old, the concentration is weak and it is starting to lack effectiveness. The renewed outbreak at Karan’s feedlot in Heidelberg is proof of that,” he said.
De Jager asked why South Africa had to import vaccines from Botswana and they couldn’t be made in this country at Onderstepoort.
Article: Caxton publication, The Citizen
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