Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen held a media briefing outlining plans to eradicate foot and mouth disease in SA, including proposing it be declared a national state of disaster. However, the dairy and beef industry is sceptical that this will have the intended impact.

The Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, on Wednesday, 14 January, updated Parliament on the status of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in South Africa, and called for it to be declared a national state of disaster.

He outlined the strategy and timelines to vaccinate the national herd to achieve FMD-free status. This includes targeted vaccination with imported and local vaccines, enhanced surveillance and an urgent legislative review.

"This is a clear roadmap for the protection of our national livestock herd and the restoration of South Africa's international standing in the agricultural sector. Since losing our FMD-free status in 2019, our farmers have faced unprecedented challenges. I have received many pleas for help, from commercial to communal farmers, who have borne the heavy burden of the recent FMD outbreaks in the country," he said.

Addressing the farmers, he said, "We understand the financial and emotional toll that the outbreaks have had on your families and your livelihoods. We remain deeply sympathetic to the hardships you have endured; however, I want to assure you today that we have a plan that is both realistically achievable and technically sound. I must be frank with the nation: achieving FMD-free status is a monumental task...