The maintenance of South Africa’s zonal freedom of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination is imperative for sustainable exports of our livestock and their products. The World Organization for Animal Health’s visit during December 2014 was a scheduled follow up to a visit during 2013. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ media statement conveys that the OIE mission was “encouraged with the progress made” on the implementation of their recommendations made to address their concerns expressed following the 2013 visit. The Red Meat Industry Forum is pleased that some progress has been made, trusts that the implementation of control measures is sustainable across all the relevant provinces and hopes that the outcome of the mission report to be considered at the OIE Scientific Commission meeting in February 2015 will be positive.
OIE Foot-and-Mouth Disease Mission Dec 2014