South Africa: centralised operational centre to deal with FMD crisis

South African farmers have welcomed the creation of a centralised operational centre to deal with the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) crisis. The centre has been activated today (June 9) by the not-for-profit organisation Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) in response to the spread of the disease that is threatening food security and jobs in the country. Dewald Olivier, CEO of RMIS, said the initiative aims to guide the organisation in addressing the FMD emergency, with a strong focus on protecting red meat role-players and ensuring the long-term sustainability and growth of the industry. The centre is led by a designated RMIS veterinarian, and its staff is composed of veterinary professionals, industry representatives, and specialists in public relations. It will develop and implement a structured, timebound response to the outbreak, with medium- to long-term goals, including a focus on vaccination. According to Olivier, it will also establish public-private partnerships at various levels to support the understaffed public veterinary sector by leveraging private sector expertise and capacity.
Frikkie Mare, CEO of Red Meat Producers Organisation as one of the founding members of the RMIS, welcomed the establishment of the centre, reassuring the government that it will not take its role in fighting the outbreak and guaranteeing public health. Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen said his department was working around the clock to stop the spread of FMD, placing all infected properties under quarantine and embarking on a large vaccination campaign.