The spread of foot-and-mouth disease must be stopped to avoid a crisis

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The Eastern Cape is home to thousands of emerging and commercial farmers whose livelihoods depend on healthy livestock so news that foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has spread in the province should not be taken lightly.

The Herald reported recently that the disease had been confirmed in the western region of the province, with several emerging beef farmers in Kruisfontein, Humansdorp, feeling the brunt.

This has left farmers living in fear, as the scourge kills livestock and isolates affected farmers, effectively plummeting profits in the foreseeable future.

Among those affected is Igsahn Felix, one of the 22 farmers on Kruisfontein Emerging Cattle Farm.

Felix said they had lost eight cattle — including a calf — before confirming FMD and vaccinating their remaining animals.

While their sick animals were recovering, Felix said the economic ramifications would be felt for many months to come.

“We rely on sales but we cannot sell any of our animals until the restrictions have been lifted — and that might be six or seven months, or a year.”

And while it’s easy to just say “so what, this doesn’t affect me”, think about the widespread impact if FMD spreads.

The livestock sector is one of the pillars of our provincial economy. An uncontrolled outbreak would mean strict movement bans, livestock auctions halted, exports suspended and farmers unable to trade.

Abattoirs will then be affected, as well as feed suppliers, transporters and informal meat traders.

The result: potential job losses and rocketing food prices — all of which affect us.

So it is vital that the spread of FMD is contained as a matter of urgency.

To this end, Finance MEC Mlungisi Mvoko authorised the allocation of R55m to support urgent response measures, including the procurement of vaccines, disease control interventions and related operational costs.

Will this intervention be enough to curb the spread?

We hope so.

Special precautions such as those introduced at the popular Crossways Village Market near Thornhill last week — disinfecting all vehicles coming from high-risk areas — are also most welcome.

Failure to prevent FMD spreading would be detrimental to our province.