South Africas Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen has appointed the Foot and Mouth Disease FMD Industry Coordination Council to support implementation of the national strategy to control the disease.
Steenhuisen said in a statement that the council has been established to ensure that industry plays an active, coordinated role in supporting the phased rollout of the FMD strategy, including vaccine distribution, traceability and disease control readiness.
I am fully committed to doing whatever it takes to beat FMD. This council will engage directly with me, and its input will be taken seriously. Government cannot do this alone we need the full strength of the private sector, farmers and veterinarians collaborating with us, Steenhuisen said.
