Centralised operational centre to deal with the FMD crisis set up

As foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) continues to ravage the agricultural sector, farmers have welcomed the establishment of the centralised operational centre aimed at addressing the crisis.

The centre will be activated today by Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) in response to the widespread of FMD outbreak which is threatening food security and jobs in the country.

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A plan to address FMD

RMIS is a not-for-profit organisation mandated to safeguard animal and public health, expand market access, foster inclusive growth, and ensure long-term industry competitiveness.

Dewald Olivier, CEO of RMIS, said the plan was to guide the organisation in addressing the FMD situation in South Africa, with a strong focus on protecting red meat role-players to ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of the industry.

Olivier said a designated RMIS veterinarian would lead the centre and also oversee a team of veterinary professionals and industry representatives, along with a specialist public relations and public affairs agency, forming the FMD working group.

“The FMD working group will be mandated to develop and implement a structured, timebound response to the outbreak, with medium- to long-term goals, including a focus on vaccination among other key areas,” he said.

“This is critical not only for the red meat sector, but also for South Africa’s broader agricultural economy, as the outbreak impacts the entire red meat value chain and poses a threat to the dairy industry and other sectors connected to red meat production.”

Olivier said another key aim was to establish public-private partnerships at various levels to support the understaffed public veterinary sector by leveraging private sector expertise and capacity.

“This is a defining moment for the red meat industry. RMIS was established precisely for a time like this – to provide coordinated leadership, technical expertise and practical solutions in close collaboration with government and industry partners. Our unified efforts will shape a more secure, sustainable, and competitive future for the industry,” he said.

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A partnership to fight FMD

Frikkie Mare, CEO of Red Meat Producers Organisation as one of the founding members of the RMIS, agreed with the establishment of the centre.

Mare said it was important to note that FMD was a state-controlled disease and the envisaged centre would not be there to take over the role of government, but rather to assist it in gathering data, proposing action plans for the control of the disease and to digitalise animal movement permits.

 “We believe this is a step in the right direction for more effective control of FMD with a partnership between the government and industry,” said Mare.

TAU SA general manager Bennie van Zyl has also welcomed the establishment of the centre and said fighting FMD was essential because it was also threatening dairy farmers.

“This joint operation command centre is a very good thing and we support it” said Van Zyl.

“It is important that they actually have a well-functioning mechanism that can help the government to do what needs to be done. We hope that very soon the problem will be resolved. There is a need for everyone to play a role in addressing this problem.”

Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen said his department was aware that there was a great deal of anxiety around the various outbreaks of FMD in several provinces.

Steenhuisen said the department was working around the clock to address the issue.

“All infected properties are placed under quarantine and no movement is allowed into, out of or through that particular area of the farm,” he said.

“Large areas where individual notices cannot be served have been gazetted as disease management areas. And, of course, the same restrictions apply.”

He said the government was embarking upon a vaccination campaign and has set aside more than R70 million for FMD vaccines to inoculate about 900 000 animals.

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