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Helping the industry address foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) as efficiently as possible. This, says Dewald Olivier, CEO of Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS), is the aim of the recently announced strategic collaboration pact between RMIS and the Argentinian animal health product supplier, Biogénesis Bagó. Olivier explains how this collaboration will help the industry to address FMD. “By connecting industry stakeholders with technical expertise, we aim to strengthen awareness, preparedness, and practical response capabilities across the value chain,” Olivier explains.
“The cooperation is part of RMIS’s broader work to support the red meat industry in strengthening its response to FMD, improving coordination across the value chain, and ensuring that producers and veterinarians have access to the tools, information and support they need to manage the disease effectively. By working alongside animal health partners such as Biogénesis Bagó, RMIS aims to help the industry act faster, respond better, and reduce the impact of FMD on producers.”
Expertise in handling FMD
The partnership brings together RMIS’s extensive network across the red meat value chain and Biogénesis Bagó’s scientific expertise in animal health, establishing a framework for collaboration focused on strengthening disease preparedness and response through science and field-based solutions.
“Argentina,” Olivier points out, “has succeeded in eradicating FMD and Biogénesis Bagó was a central player in this effort. This Argentinian model offers valuable lessons for our path to FMD-free status with vaccination. It therefore makes perfect sense that we use the Argentinian expertise to guide us on this road. Also, it was Biogénesis Bagó that took Argentina to the point where it could apply for FMD-free status. There are few institutions in the world with more experience and expertise in this regard. Biogénesis Bagó also houses the disease antigen for more than 20 countries, including the USA and Brazil. They have been actively involved in FMD control since the 1970s.”
Through this initiative, he says, the parties will support vaccination and disease prevention efforts, contribute to epidemiological monitoring and data sharing, develop training and awareness programmes for producers and veterinarians and finally, generate field-based insights to support informed decision-making. “This is about more than merely getting the vaccines into as many cattle as possible.”
Olivier says there is a pressing need for information in the industry regarding the next steps. “How do we live with FMD in the future? For how long will we have to vaccinate? Will the State continue to pick up the tab for the vaccines? What are the internationally accepted best practices for biosecurity? These are the questions we need to answer.”
Role-players and their roles
In the fight against disease in general, Olivier explains, there are three role-players: the government, including the office of the minister of agriculture and the Department of Agriculture, the industry and the private sector. Industry refers to all role-players, including producers, feedlotters, abattoirs, and processors. The private sector refers to industry support services such as feed manufacturers and animal health companies.
“It is very important that there are clear rules regulating the interaction between these three entities. If, for example, the government and industry decide that 80% of all cattle in the country should be vaccinated by the end of the year, then every single player in the private sector should have the opportunity to contribute to this goal, without any exclusions.
“Getting the correct vaccines into the country at the correct quantities. Then, having a traceability system (a global location number or GLN is adequate) in place to track which farmer received what quantities of vaccine, followed by feedback to the government on a standardised and dependable system that will eventually enable the government to reapply for FMD-free status with vaccination from the World Organisation for Animal Health. That is the end goal to regain our status.” – Izak Hofmeyr, Plaas Media
