Farmers angry over yet another disease vaccine delay

Farmers were fuming after Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen was given yet another extended deadline to submit the department’s plan of action to combat foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). This comes after the urgent proceedings were postponed for a second time because the department wasn’t ready to proceed. Last week, the High Court in Pretoria reluctantly granted the postponement to enable Steenhuisen more time to publish a vaccination scheme under Section 10 of the Animal Diseases Act by 5 May.

However, Steenhuisen maintained the allegations of delays were unfounded, emphasising that efforts are underway to vaccinate as many animals as possible, as quickly as possible. In the meantime, Steenhuisen and Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock André Carlos Alves de Paula signed a memorandum of intent and a comprehensive action plan to enhance cooperation between the two nations. “Together, we are turning biosecurity into a bridge for trade, resilience and economic growth,” Steenhuisen said.

TLU SAchair Bennie van Zyl said the FMD challenge remained a crisis. “It’s sad that there has to be a court case to force the state to act against FMD,” he added. Van Zyl said this process could have been concluded in January if the state had not dragged its feet.

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“The sector feels more speed could be added to the process,” he added. Southern Africa Agricultural Initiative (Saai) board chair Theo de Jager said the organisation was disappointed the minister has not respected the deadlines set by the court to publish a Section 10 scheme for FMD, and has asked for a further extension. De Jager added Saai, Sake Liga and Vrystaat Landbou had asked him in January about regulations, or international requirements to obtain the vaccine themselves. “Steenhuisen refused to respond, expressing the fear farmers would use the vaccine as biological weapons against each other.”

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