Media Release: Foot-and-Mouth Disease Poses Major Threat as Southern Cape Farmers Step Up Biosecurity

28 January 2025

The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) remains one of the most serious threats facing South African agriculture and the broader economy. Industry leaders argue that the scale of the current risk could have been significantly reduced if faster, more coordinated national response measures had been implemented earlier. While several parts of the country have reported cases of the highly contagious disease, the Southern Cape has to date remained free of confirmed infections. Despite this, cattle and dairy farmers across the region are taking proactive steps to protect their herds.

“Especially along the coastal plateau there are vast numbers of cattle in the Garden Route, and agriculture is a cornerstone of the regional economy,” says GREF convener Cobus Meiring.

“The absence of cases here does not mean we must relax. On the contrary, it means prevention is absolutely critical.”

Farmers are currently implementing a range of biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of it rapidly spreading through the Garden Route. These include restricting farm access, disinfecting vehicles and equipment, limiting the movement of livestock, and closely monitoring animals for early signs of infection. Many producers have also increased record-keeping around animal movements and are engaging more frequently with veterinarians.

One of the biggest concerns remains the movement of unmonitored or undocumented herds between regions. “Uncontrolled movement is always a major risk factor,” Meiring explains. “Even a single breach can have devastating consequences.”

While current efforts are widely supported, questions remain about whether more could be done. Improved enforcement of movement controls, faster information sharing between authorities and farmers, and greater consistency in biosecurity protocols across provinces have all been highlighted as areas needing attention.

“We can only prepare as best we can and ensure that all reasonable safety precautions are firmly in place,” says Meiring. “But this requires collective discipline.”

The plea from industry leaders is clear: all stakeholders, including commercial farmers and smallholders to transporters and regulators must strictly adhere to established protocols to prevent the spread of the disease.

The Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF) serves as a public platform for landowners and environmental managers and operates as a climate change think tank. In the context of FMD, the organisation is emphasising the importance of shared responsibility in safeguarding both food security and regional livelihoods.