Why Foot and Mouth Disease Has Become a National Food Security Threat
Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is no longer just a livestock health issue in South Africa — it has evolved into a full-scale agricultural, economic, and food security crisis. As outbreaks continue to disrupt production, trade, and rural livelihoods, farmers are facing a critical challenge: they are legally restricted from responding quickly and effectively, even when infection risks are high.
The result? Escalating financial losses, weakened consumer confidence, rising food prices, and growing pressure on South Africa’s meat and livestock sectors.
While disease control should be grounded in science, biosecurity, and rapid intervention, regulatory bottlenecks, slow state response, and outdated policy frameworks are creating delays that worsen the spread and economic fallout of Foot and Mouth Disease.
The Biggest Barriers Farmers Face in Fighting Foot and Mouth Disease
1. Regulatory Restrictions Prevent Rapid Farm-Level Action
One of the most pressing concerns raised by agricultural organizations, including TLU SA, is that farmers are legally prevented from taking immediate preventative measures, even when they operate in high-risk or confirmed Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak zones.
This includes limitations on:
- Emergency movement controls
- On-farm disease mitigation protocols
- Rapid private veterinary interventions
- Proactive biosecurity upgrades
Delays in approval and enforcement allow outbreaks to spread further before containment measures can begin, increasing infection rates and deepening economic losses.
2. Limited State Capacity and Slow Response Times
South Africa’s veterinary and regulatory authorities face capacity constraints, including:
- Insufficient veterinary personnel
- Delays in testing and diagnosis
- Slow quarantine decision-making
- Limited outbreak monitoring infrastructure
In fast-moving disease outbreaks, time is the most valuable asset. Every day of delay can mean:
- More infected herds
- More farms under quarantine
- Greater production shutdowns
- Expanded trade restrictions
Farmers, however, are required to carry the financial burden of these delays.
3. Farmers Bear the Full Financial Risk — Without Control
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks impose devastating financial impacts on producers, including:
- Livestock mortality
- Lost breeding stock
- Market access restrictions
- Price suppression
- Quarantine-related operational losses
- Increased feed and veterinary costs
Despite carrying the economic risk, farmers lack the regulatory authority to act swiftly to protect their herds — a structural imbalance that punishes producers for systemic failures.
As Bennie van Zyl of TLU SA notes, when farmers cannot act timeously, the cost ultimately shifts to consumers through higher meat prices and reduced food availability.
4. Export Markets and Trade Confidence Are at Risk
South Africa’s livestock and meat export markets depend on strong disease-control credibility. Prolonged Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks threaten:
- Export suspensions
- Reduced international trust
- Long-term trade losses
- Lower foreign revenue inflows
A weakened export position affects:
- National agricultural GDP
- Foreign exchange earnings
- Producer profitability
- Industry investment confidence
If South Africa cannot demonstrate efficient outbreak containment, global trade partners may impose stricter restrictions — compounding the economic damage.
5. Untapped Private Sector Capacity Remains Underutilized
The private veterinary and agricultural sector in South Africa possesses:
- Skilled veterinary expertise
- Advanced disease-monitoring tools
- Rapid-response operational capacity
- Biosecurity innovation
However, current regulations limit meaningful private-sector involvement, slowing potential outbreak response.
Allowing responsible, targeted private participation could:
- Accelerate disease detection
- Expand surveillance coverage
- Improve response efficiency
- Reduce pressure on state resources
Food security, livestock protection, and outbreak containment cannot afford bureaucratic inertia.
6. Food Security and Consumer Price Risks Are Rising
When livestock production slows or declines due to disease outbreaks, the consequences ripple through the entire food system:
- Reduced meat supply
- Higher retail prices
- Increased import reliance
- Lower protein accessibility for low-income households
Foot and Mouth Disease therefore directly threatens national food affordability, placing additional strain on South African consumers already facing cost-of-living pressures.
7. Rural Livelihoods and Producer Confidence Are Under Threat
Beyond economics, Foot and Mouth Disease impacts:
- Farm employment
- Rural household income
- Producer morale
- Investment confidence in agriculture
If farmers feel unsupported or constrained by ineffective regulations, long-term agricultural sustainability is placed at risk.
A disease crisis that erodes producer trust weakens the entire rural economy.
8. The Role of the Foot and Mouth Disease Council and the Need for Policy Reform
TLU SA has called for the new Foot and Mouth Disease Council to be given a fair opportunity to:
- Review existing regulatory frameworks
- Modernize outbreak response protocols
- Enable private-sector collaboration
- Develop practical, science-based containment strategies
A successful reform process must ensure:
- Faster decision-making
- Evidence-driven policy updates
- Farmer-inclusive consultation
- Transparent crisis coordination
Modern disease control requires modern policy.
9. Unity, Solidarity, and a National Agricultural Response
TLU SA also emphasizes the importance of solidarity among farmers, especially in support of meat producers most affected by Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks.
Effective disease control requires:
- Cross-sector cooperation
- Producer group alignment
- Industry-wide biosecurity discipline
- National commitment to food security protection
No farmer should carry this burden alone.
10. Conclusion: Fixing Policy Is Key to Saving Herds, Incomes, and Food Security
Foot and Mouth Disease is not just a veterinary challenge — it is a test of South Africa’s regulatory readiness, agricultural resilience, and food security strategy.
Without:
- Faster regulatory processes
- Expanded private-sector involvement
- Stronger veterinary capacity
- Farmer-empowering policy reforms
South Africa risks long-term damage to its livestock industry, export credibility, rural economy, and food supply stability.
As TLU SA warns, speed saves herds, incomes, and ultimately food on people’s plates.
FULL PRESS RELEASE — UNALTERED (TLU SA)
“Foot-and-mouth disease: When regulations cripple farming and food security
Foot-and-mouth disease has developed into far more than a veterinary issue. It is becoming a serious threat to South Africa’s food security, agricultural economy and rural livelihoods.
According to TLU SA, the heart of the crisis lies in a regulatory system and state capacity that are not adapted to these circumstances and urgently need to be corrected.
“Foot-and-mouth disease is out of control because the system that was meant to protect us is not functioning as it should,” says Bennie van Zyl, General Manager of TLU SA.
He points out that farmers are legally prevented from acting swiftly, even in high-risk areas where outbreaks have already been confirmed.
“Farmers carry the full financial risk of outbreaks, quarantine measures and market losses. When they are not allowed to act timeously and responsibly, it is not only farming that is punished – the consumer ultimately pays the price as well.”
Van Zyl emphasises that the private sector has proven expertise and capacity that can be deployed immediately. “Food security cannot wait for bureaucratic processes. Speed saves herds, incomes and, ultimately, food on people’s plates.”
“Foot-and-mouth disease affects us all. If South Africa is serious about sustainable agriculture and affordable food, policy must begin to reflect reality.”
TLU SA calls on its members to give the new FMD Council a fair opportunity to meaningfully review the regulatory environment and to develop practical solutions that allow for the responsible, targeted involvement of the private sector in managing outbreaks.
TLU SA encourages all farmers and producer groups to show solidarity with meat producers. Farmers are not alone; cooperation and unity are essential to managing this crisis.
ISSUED BY TLU SA
Date: 27 January 2026
MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Bennie van Zyl
General Manager of TLU SA
082 466 4470″
(M.O)