Latest news with #RedMeatProducersOrganisation
The Citizen
09-06-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Centralised operational centre to deal with the FMD crisis set up
Farmers have welcomed the establishment of the centralised operational centre aimed at addressing the FDM crisis. farmers have welcomed the establishment of the centralised operational centre aimed at addressing the FDM crisis. Picture: CatherineAs 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. ALSO READ: Will SA run out of beef and chicken? Animal disease hits SA's top producer — what it means for consumers 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. ALSO READ: R72m foot-and-mouth vaccine delivery due mid-June 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. NOW READ: Foot-and-mouth disease outbreak rocks South Africa's cattle industry
The Citizen
26-05-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Farmers ‘on the edge' over crippling foot and mouth disease
The most affected provinces were KZN, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Eastern Cape. Livestock farmers warn they may soon go out of business if the government does not support those affected by the preventative measures for foot and mouth disease (FMD). But the agriculture department blamed farmers for not adhering to the preventive measures. Hennie de Wet, a farmer based in Nquthu near Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), said the FMD preventative measures, introduced during the FMD outbreak in 2021, include the prohibition of slaughtering and transporting livestock. Affected provinces The most affected provinces were KZN, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Eastern Cape. Yesterday, De Wet spoke of farmers' frustration. 'Every time a farmer wants to sell or slaughter cattle, they need to go through a long assessment process,' he said. 'There is a backlog for the assessment process. It is also expensive and can cost more than R21 000. It is paid for by the farmer without any state assistance.' ALSO READ: Eastern Cape farms in quarantine after outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease Transport ban He said the government could lift the transport ban and related measures because the FMD strain in the country was not dangerous. 'One member of parliament asked how many people or livestock had been killed by the disease, and there was none,' said De Wet. He said farmers illegally transported animals during the night and sold them in other provinces. He said the situation had forced him to sell his herd of 700 cattle. 'After realising that the situation was getting out of control, I decided to sell my cattle,' he said. 'It was lucky that I found somebody to buy the cattle. With the restrictions in place, farmers are struggling to access the market. 'There are farmers I know who are failing to pay employees.' Dr Frikkie Maré, chief executive officer of the Red Meat Producers Organisation, said FMD was a state-controlled disease, and the industry can only make recommendations to the government. 'The government must realise that its responsibility does not end with disease control, but also extends to the businesses and individuals affected by the measures.' ALSO READ: Foot-and-mouth hits red meat Stock losses Asked how much had been lost since the transport restriction was implemented, Maré said it was a huge amount. TLU SA, which represents farmers, called on the government to implement a programme to help affected farmers keep operating. TLU SA general manager Bennie van Zyl said the prolonged restrictions on the movement of livestock threatened to bring farming operations to a halt. He said producers at the grassroots level are in a dire situation: 'They cannot take their animals to auctions, feedlots or abattoirs, which directly impacts their cash flow needed for essentials. 'Producers are left without any access to markets, while no alternative plans have been implemented. We are economically destroying farmers.' He said the government has failed to fulfil its legally mandated responsibilities. Livestock movement An example of this was the absence of roadblocks to monitor livestock movement in affected areas. 'This failure shifts the burden to agriculture, as farmers and organisations are now forced to monitor movement themselves through private camera systems,' said Van Zyl. 'These systems have been established and are being monitored without state contribution. 'The agricultural sector is expected to manage them and bear responsibility for a duty that legally rests with the authorities.' Zyl said the two organisations had taken their concerns to Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, yet nothing had been done to minimise the impact of the restrictions. He added the organisations had appealed to the government to implement a disaster management programme to enable producers to continue farming operations, but to no avail. 'The state must act urgently to protect the sustainability of farming, especially where it concerns food production and job security,' he said. Veterinary services Dipepeneneng Serage, of the national department of agriculture, said animal production and veterinary services would assist farmers with skills and knowledge on best farming practices and that farmers who qualify for government funding are financially assisted. Serage blamed farmers for not adhering to the preventative measures. 'Viral diseases do not happen by accident, but are brought by vectors. FMD is a viral disease and can only be transmitted by humans,' he said. 'If farmers and workers adhered to biosecurity measures, there would be less FMD outbreaks'. ALSO READ: Why beef producers are still optimistic about 2025, despite foot-and-mouth disease warning
