Farmers may incur significant costs outside of the government’s Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination strategy, despite the government’s commitment to covering the entire cost of FMD vaccines for the national herd. The FMD Industry Coordination Council (FMD ICC) has highlighted that while the vaccine itself is funded by the government in active outbreak areas, farmers will be responsible for the costs associated with vaccine administration.
FMD Vaccination Strategy
The government’s current rollout is focused solely on active outbreak areas, where Provincial Veterinary Services administer the government-procured vaccines, meaning producers pay nothing. However, for farmers whose herds fall outside these priority areas, the financial responsibility differs significantly.
The FMD ICC warned that if a farmer’s herd currently falls outside these priority areas but they want to manage their risk as soon as possible through vaccination, they will have to pay for the vaccine and the private veterinarian’s service fee. The council suggests that the industry has the operational capacity to help if capacity constraints are slowing the government’s current strategy.
Speed and Capacity
The FMD ICC reiterated a key concern: speed. They emphasized that speed should be the priority, and that the industry is ready to assist if needed. On Saturday, Minister John Steenhuisen and Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, participated in the Gauteng leg of the national mass FMD vaccination rollout held in Ekurhuleni.
During the event, the minister outlined the ambitious timeline for achieving herd immunity, stating that the government intends to have 80% of the national herd, approximately 14 million cattle, vaccinated by December. For more information on the FMD vaccination rollout, visit the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development website.
Here are some key points to note about the FMD vaccination strategy:
- The government will cover the cost of FMD vaccines for the national herd in active outbreak areas.
- Farmers will be responsible for the costs associated with vaccine administration.
- Farmers whose herds fall outside priority areas will have to pay for the vaccine and the private veterinarian’s service fee.
The FMD ICC has welcomed the minister’s pledge to cover the vaccine cost, but emphasizes that speed is crucial in protecting the national herd. As the vaccination rollout continues, farmers are advised to stay informed and take necessary precautions to manage their risk.
