FMD auction ban sparks reforms

The latest foot-and-mouth disease outbreak has led to industry-wide reforms with regard to biosecurity and the traceability of livestock. Sabrina Dean and Annelie Coleman report.

- Sabrina Dean and Annelie Coleman

The latest outbreak of foot-and-mouth (FMD) disease in Limpopo late last year has had far-reaching consequences for the livestock industry, according to the chairperson of the national Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO), Koos van der Ryst.

Although exports had not been as severely affected as during the first outbreak in January 2019, Van der Ryst stressed that the ban on auctions had a negative impact on business in the domestic livestock industry. “We have received [assurances] from veterinary services that if there are no further outbreaks, they will look favorably on lifting the ban. But this will only be once the situation has been contained.”