South Africa has introduced new national measures to manage foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks, aiming to strengthen livestock protection while reducing unnecessary disruption to farmers and trade.
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen approved the updated controls, which will come into force once published in the Government Gazette. The framework consolidates previous directives into a single system for managing outbreaks, from detection through recovery.
The Department of Agriculture said the new measures would provide clearer guidance for farmers, veterinarians and animal health authorities while allowing trade and livestock movements to continue where risks have been controlled.
The framework replaces the 2019 FMD Contingency Plan, later amendments and related protocols issued under the Animal Diseases Act.
A key change is greater clarity around the movement and trade of vaccinated animals. Animals that have been vaccinated, have never been infected and are not under quarantine will be allowed to move and trade under normal requirements.
More Read
The measures also introduce more flexible options for producers whose farms have been affected by outbreaks, allowing trade to resume during quarantine periods once the risk of transmission has been addressed.
Under the new rules, livestock can be moved to designated FMD abattoirs 16 days after a property has been declared clinically clear. Broader slaughter options, including export-approved facilities, become available after 42 days.
The new framework also moves away from the previous assumption that entire herds must be removed before quarantine restrictions can be lifted.
More Read
Instead, farmers will have different recovery options depending on their circumstances, including removing animals, restocking with vaccinated livestock or introducing animals from FMD-free sources.
The department said the changes were based on improved scientific understanding of the disease and were intended to reduce unnecessary economic losses.
The updated approach limits the destruction of animal products, feed, fodder and manure where these materials no longer pose a disease risk.
Farmers with well-fenced properties will also be able to contain outbreaks within affected sections of their farms rather than having entire operations placed under quarantine.
Larger farms with separate production units are expected to benefit from more targeted movement restrictions, while biosecurity measures will focus on activities and materials considered most likely to spread the virus.
The framework also extends precautionary controls to suspected FMD cases to improve early containment.
More Read
For the first time, the national measures include specific provisions for communal and peri-urban livestock systems, recognising challenges linked to shared grazing areas, multiple ownership structures and frequent animal movements.
The department said the new approach would support more practical quarantine management and targeted vaccination programmes in these areas.
Steenhuisen said the measures were developed through cooperation between government officials, veterinary experts and industry stakeholders.
He added that the framework would be updated as scientific evidence develops, with a formal review planned within 12 months.
Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep and goats. While it does not affect humans, outbreaks can have major economic consequences by restricting livestock trade and exports.
