FMD Response SA

FMD Response SA, a group of industry experts, wants to eradicate Foot & Mouth Disease by mass vaccination in a 6-8 week window- the only way to achieve success.

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

FMD Response SA accepts this apology and looks forward to working with the minister and Department of Agriculture to ensure timeous vaccination of SA's 14 million cattle.

Both the private sector and the state need to be able vaccinate cattle against FMD at speed and scale.

[John Steenhuisen MP @jsteenhuisen]

I note an email originating from a ministry staff member.

The email was in bad taste and I have requested the person concerned to apologise to the respective parties.

We must continue to show mutual respect and always act in good faith.

Because it is only through collaboration that we can overcome major obstacles in the sector.

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

The Department of Agriculture has denied claims that 90% of beef farmers in KZN have not had access to vaccines. It asks the public to rely on what it calls “verified updates on government platforms”.
As FMD Response SA, we would welcome any government-verified public updates on how many commercial beef farmers in KZN have received vaccines or will be receiving them soon.
Public updates of this kind have not been frequent or accessible. We warmly welcome the government’s suggestion that there will be verified updates on how many vaccine doses have been administered and in which provinces.
For now, our information proves that bar some sudden activity earlier this week, 90% of beef farmers in the province had not been receiving vaccines. We would be pleased to see any evidence proving otherwise.
Unless all cattle farmers - commercial and small-scale - receive vaccines within a tight window of a few weeks, the virus will continue to spread.

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

The Department of Agriculture has denied claims that 90% of beef farmers in KZN have not had access to vaccines. It asks the public to rely on what it calls “verified updates on government platforms”.
As FMD Response SA, we would welcome any government-verified public updates on how many commercial beef farmers in KZN have received vaccines or will be receiving them soon.
Public updates of this kind have not been frequent or accessible. We warmly welcome the government’s suggestion that there will be verified updates on how many vaccine doses have been administered and in which provinces.
For now, our information proves that bar some sudden activity earlier this week, 90% of beef farmers in the province had not been receiving vaccines. We would be pleased to see any evidence proving otherwise.
Unless all cattle farmers - commercial and small-scale - receive vaccines within a tight window of a few weeks, the virus will continue to spread.

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

Press Release: FMD Response SA Urges the Department of Agriculture to make vaccines widely available to commercial cattle farmers

Currently, there are over nine million FMD vaccines available or en route to the country; however, fewer than four million have been administered to the over 14 million cattle in South Africa.

FMD Response SA, representing over 250 farmers, is calling on the Department of Agriculture to make vaccines accessible to private sector farmers and their organisations to expedite the vaccination response.

As long as vaccinated cattle are surrounded by large numbers of unvaccinated cattle, the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) virus will continue to spread, posing a risk to both vaccinated and unvaccinated livestock. Vaccinated cattle on three farms in KwaZulu Natal have been infected with the virus because there are so many unvaccinated cattle in the surrounding areas.

The Pretoria High Court on Monday ruled that it is lawful for private farmers to vaccinate their own cattle.

FMD Response SA Spokesperson Andrew Morphew said: “While the court judgment is a welcome development, in practical terms, farmers require urgent access to vaccines in order to vaccinate. It is anticipated that it may take up to three months for new vaccines, specifically ordered for the private sector, to arrive due to production processes. Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture is expecting a new batch of two million doses from Turkey imminently.”

“In light of the court's ruling, we urge the government to act in good faith by making these two million vaccines or another batch available to the private sector so that they can swiftly vaccinate as many cattle as possible. What is also needed is a comprehensive plan for regional vaccinations that can be executed swiftly,” Morphew added.

In short, FMD Response SA asks that,
Regular updates are provided by the government on the number of vaccines provided to the private sector.
Updates on the number of vaccines administered to cattle be provided, rather than running totals of how many vaccines are in fridges in the country.
That the Department of Agriculture announce that the newest batch of 2-million vaccines arriving in SA soon will be allocated to private farmers to vaccinate their cattle.

Currently, some provincial vaccination efforts are patchy with communal cattle being vaccinated in KwaZulu Natal, but nearly all that province’s commercial beef farms being denied access to vaccines. Sporadic vaccination poses risks to both communal and commercial cattle.

Experience has shown 34 private vets in a single day can vaccinate 50,000 cattle. If the government makes vaccines available to the private sector, the country's cattle can be vaccinated within six to eight weeks.

FMD Response SA stands ready and willing to collaborate with the government to vaccinate as many cattle as possible within the shortest timeframe.

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

Press Release: FMD welcomes the judgment allowing the private sector to buy vaccines and vaccinate their own cattle and urges that accredited importers be allowed to import and sell to farmers

FMD Response SA, an industry body of more than 250 farmers, welcomes a judgment by the Pretoria High Court allowing farmers to procure and self-administer vaccines against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), following an application brought by Sakeliga, the South African Agri Initiative (SAAI) and Free State Agriculture.

The ruling is a critical step in accelerating vaccination efforts needed to contain the spread of the disease.
The government’s stated goal is to vaccinate 80% of cattle by the end of December, despite the programme starting in February.

“An 11-month vaccination programme is too slow to achieve the simultaneous immunity required to stop disease transmission and meet the World Organisation for Animal Health standards for controlling FMD,” said Andrew Morphew, spokesperson FMD Response SA.

It remains essential that vaccination takes place within a tight six-to-eight-week window so that cattle develop simultaneous immunity and the virus stops spreading between herds.

The prolonged amount of time it is taking to administer the vaccines is precisely why vaccinated cattle at three dairy farms in KwaZulu Natal have become infected with the virus.

FMD Response SA said the judgment does not create a free-for-all or give farmers an automatic right to import vaccines themselves. Instead, it confirms that farmers may procure and administer FMD vaccines that have been lawfully imported or lawfully manufactured, under auditable conditions.

“The key question now is whether lawful private importers, manufacturers and their agents will be allowed to bring vaccines into the country and make them available to farmers without unnecessary delay. The court has opened the door to private vaccination. The government and SAHPRA must now ensure that lawful private vaccine channels can operate at the speed and scale this crisis requires,” Morphew said

FMD Response SA also notes that are credible reports that more than 90% of commercial beef farmers in KwaZulu-Natal have been unable to access state vaccines and that cattle at commercial farms in that province remain unvaccinated.

Reports such as this show precisely why the private sector needs to be able to administer vaccines with speed and scale. It is essential that the government does not stand in the way of the private sector importing FMD vaccines and selling them to private farmers.

The government will have imported up 13.5-million doses of FMD vaccine by the end of May, but what remains unclear is how many vaccines are being administered and how many remain in fridges.

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

There are some calculation issues with government's FMD vaccination campaign. If the roll out is continuing until December, what will happen to cattle that need their boosters in August - six months after their first shots in Feb?

Some cattle will need boosters before other cattle have even had their first dose. It just doesn't make sense.

South Africa needs to speed up its FMD vaccination roll out.
https://t.co/o7YHcoxFyb

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

At #Nampo2026 there is still talk by the government of vaccinating 80% of the country's cattle by December. That won't contain the spread of Foot and mouth. Cattle must be vaccinated in tight windows to develop simultaneous immunity to the virus.

We hope government will see the need to speed up the campaign and save the beef and dairy industries.

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

The Foot and mouth infection of vaccinated cattle in KZN means one thing: the rollout must be faster.
All cattle need simultaneous immunity to stop virus or it will keep spreading and infecting vaccinated herds. #FMDdisaster
https://t.co/kS8q4rEORt

[Farmer's Weekly @FarmersWeeklySA]

The confirmation that two vaccinated dairy herds in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) have contracted foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has intensified criticism of South Africa’s vaccination strategy and underscored the vulnerability of the dairy industry.
https://t.co/9B6KJDF2fv

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

Cattle in KZN have been infected with foot and mouth disease even while being vaccinated. This proves that the only way to control the FMD virus is to vaccinate all 14 million cattle in SA in 8 weeks.
This means they will develop simultaneous immunity forcing the virus to stop spreading.

A slow rollout is a recipe for failure.

https://t.co/6uE66lbtJg

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

@DailyInvestorSA @ewnupdates @TimesLiveNews

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

At least 30 cows in a vaccinated herd in KZN have become infected with foot and mouth disease.
It's tragic and it also proves the government's plan to vaccinate 80% of cattle by December will fail.

All 14 million cattle in SA need to be vaccinated within six to eight weeks so that there is simultaneous immunity and the virus stops spreading. Otherwise there are reinfections.

Cattle then need a booster dose 6 months later.

Tight windows of vaccination are the only way to beat FMD.

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

At least 30 cows in a vaccinated herd in KZN have become infected with foot and mouth disease.
It's tragic and it also proves the government's plan to vaccinate 80% of cattle by December will fail.

All 14 million cattle in SA need to be vaccinated within six to eight weeks so that there is simultaneous immunity and the virus stops spreading. Otherwise there are reinfections.

Cattle then need a booster dose 6 months later.

Tight windows of vaccination are the only way to beat FMD.

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

Read why South Africa is not following the Argentinian example of successfully eradicating foot and mouth disease.
Unlike Argentina that beat the disease....

There are not sufficient vaccines available
It is not being distributed quickly enough to farms
There are not mandatory tight windows for vaccination.

https://t.co/qwtWQufmvy

[Business Day @BDliveSA]

FMD Response SA says current approach could leave SA unable to achieve herd immunity https://t.co/QamnLQUQJe

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

Press Release: The current FMD vaccination strategy has a 95% chance of failure.

The probability of failure under the government's current approach to vaccination against foot and mouth disease is estimated by FMD Response SA to be between 90% and 95%. The plan as currently laid out by the government cannot mathematically achieve the herd immunity required by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) for FMD-free status.

“While we greatly appreciate the government’s commitment to SA’s farmers, as well as the acquisition of superior vaccines to control the virus, the current strategy and vaccination rollout at farm level remains fundamentally inadequate,” said Andrew Morphew, spokesperson for FMD Response SA.

The only way to stop the disease spreading is to ensure that the country’s 14 million cattle are vaccinated within a tight timeframe of six to eight weeks to ensure nearly all of the country’s cattle become immune to the virus, halting its spread.

By contrast, the government aims to vaccinate 80% of South Africa’s cattle only by December 2026. This timeline presents serious challenges, as some cattle will lose immunity when vaccine protection wanes after approximately six months, before other cattle are vaccinated, allowing the disease to continue spreading.

Lessons from Argentina and Brazil's successful eradication of FMD have shown that cattle must be vaccinated within strict timeframes and boosted six months later to ensure widespread immunity that halts the virus.

Morphew added, “No country in the world has achieved World Organisation Animal Health FMD-free-with-vaccination-status using annual rolling single-dose campaigns”.

“The private sector is ready and willing to assist the government and wants to contribute to the FMD effort immediately and in a way that will be effective,” explained Morphew.

The Department of Agriculture published a Section 10 scheme on Monday which does make allowances for some measure of private partnerships in vaccination efforts. However, according to this plan, the state will still control all vaccine distribution.

“This approach is a recipe for failure. As demonstrated by the successful vaccination campaigns of Brazil and Argentina, private distribution is essential to ensure vaccines reach farms timeously and are administered effectively at the farm level. Requiring the state to centrally control distribution leads to bottlenecks and delays,” said Morphew.

Delays in vaccination result in some cattle losing immunity before others are protected, increasing the risk of vaccinated cattle being reinfected.

While FMD Response SA welcomes the goals of the Section 10 scheme, in reality, the private sector needs actual and speedy access to vaccines for this participation to be in any way impactful.

The Section 10 scheme also lacks mandatory tight time frames that should be enforced to ensure all cattle are vaccinated quickly.

A slow state-controlled rollout means South Africa will not be able to control the disease. Vaccination at speed and scale is only possible by activating private sector vaccine distribution

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

Farmers fear foot and mouth disease hitting their herds because once there is an outbreak on their farms, there is nothing they can do.

What they can do however is vaccinate to prevent FMD- if the government allows the private sector access to vaccine procurement and distribution. Listen to their stories:

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

Tomorrow, the Department of Agriculture will unveil its final Section 10 scheme on how to vaccinate the country’s cattle.

FMD Response SA hopes the scheme will include the practical detail on how SA's 14-million cows will be vaccinated within 6 - 8 weeks.

The Section 10 plan must be actionable, workable and focused on speed.

The private sector is ready to work alongside the Department of Agriculture to help ensure South Africa’s cattle are vaccinated at the scale and pace needed to stop the spread of FMD.

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

Thousands of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreaks across SA are bringing heartache and economic hardship to rural and farming communities.

As a result, constrained consumers are already facing higher beef and potentially higher dairy prices. Small-scale communal farmers, who own a handful of cattle as their primary source of wealth, could be left destitute if their cows die. Beef and dairy sector farmers could go out of business, leaving many without jobs.

This will be the tragic reality unless there is a sea change in the government's approach to combatting FMD. The government must allow the full involvement of the private sector in the importing, procurement and distribution of vaccines.

To help drive change, FMD Response SA, a group of dairy, pork and beef farmers and industry experts, formed to ensure it is widely known that there is a simple answer to ending FMD in SA.

This is it: To halt disease transmission, the country’s 14-million cattle need to be vaccinated within six-to- eight weeks.https://t.co/3We1QaDF5d

[FMD Response SA @FmdResponseSA]

FMD Response SA PRESS RELEASE

FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE: VACCINES MUST MOVE FROM FRIDGES INTO CATTLE — URGENT MASS ROLLOUT NEEDED WITHIN SIX-TO-EIGHT WEEKS

Tuesday's briefing on the government's response to foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) given to parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Agriculture confirmed again that not enough is being done to ensure that vaccines are effectively administered at farm level. This is due, in part, to the state ineffectiveness in vaccine procurement and bottlenecks that are limiting distribution as well as a shortage of vaccines being bought.

What remains urgently needed is a clear, actionable plan from the government that ensures FMD vaccines are distributed to all provinces and administered to 14-million cattle within a six-to-eight-week period.

Department of Agriculture Deputy Director Dipepeneneng Serage briefed the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture on Tuesday, outlining the government’s current approach to managing FMD and acknowledged that he is dissatisfied with the pace of the current rollout calling it a “slow rate of vaccination”.

Parliament heard that to date, 4-million vaccine doses have been procured, with a further 7-million planned, but there was little or no detail on how vaccines are being administered at provincial or farm level.

FMD Response SA, a coalition of more than 250 dairy, pork and beef farmers and industry experts, is deeply concerned by the lack of clarity around the roll-out at farm level.

FMD Response SA spokesperson Andrew Morphew said: “There is no clear plan from the government detailing how the country’s cattle population will be vaccinated quickly enough to achieve herd immunity.”

“South Africa’s 14 million cattle must be vaccinated within a six-to-eight-week window, to create herd immunity in 80% of them and stop transmission. Brazil and Argentina eradicated FMD with such campaigns. It is the only way to do it,” Morphew added.

The science is clear: The majority of a country’s cattle must be vaccinated and immune to the disease so that it has nowhere left to spread. Delayed or staggered vaccination undermines this goal and allows the virus to continue circulating.

A mass vaccination campaign stretched over a year as planned by the government is a recipe for failure. If vaccination proceeds too slowly, the disease will continue to spread, and even vaccinated cattle risk reinfection.

Morphew said: “The private sector needs to be permitted to purchase, distribute and administer vaccines to speed up the roll out. Additionally, permits must be provided to enable the import of vaccines.”

Speaking on Power FM on Monday night, DDG Serage, in a move warmly welcomed by FMD Response SA, indicated that his department is willing to work with large commercial farmers and allow them to import vaccines. He committed to meeting with stakeholders, including FMD Response SA, and facilitating the necessary permits required by the private sector for vaccine importation. FMD Response SA has written to DDG Serage to thank him and to secure a meeting.
“Only through a united and focused effort can we solve this crisis,” said Morphew.

Without immediate action and a proper plan to vaccinate at speed and scale, the consequences of FMD for farmers, jobs, food security, and the broader economy will deepen.