Dairy farmers and the Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO) are deeply frustrated by recent statements from the Department of Agriculture regarding the availability of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines.

By Alani Janeke, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad

The MPO’s chief executive Fanie Ferreira says the statement issued on 18 December contain assumptions that are not based on the correct facts.

The statement reads: “The department has taken note of the MPO’s statements and its concerns regarding the availability of vaccines for the dairy industry. The dairy industry was given the opportunity in September to order and purchase vaccine doses but did not accept the offer.

“With the spread of FMD on dairy farms, the MPO negotiated through the red meat industry body RMIS to purchase vaccines from feedlots to assist dairy farmers. “In October, the Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI) made a further 50,000 doses available, after which the MPO was given first option to purchase doses for the dairy industry – which it did. Only 20,000 doses have been used to date and we appeal to the MPO to vaccinate as soon as possible to ensure that all doses are administered by the end of December.

“Apart from the vaccine arrangements, the MPO also met separately with the ministerial task team, and government fully understands the impact on the industry.”

Also read: Dairy industry urges president to act as foot-and-mouth (FMD) vaccine shortage worsens

Only 9,000 doses left

Ferreira says only 9,000 of the 50,000 vaccine doses remain, and that the MPO communicates weekly with officials about vaccination progress and the number of unused doses. He therefore finds the assumption that only 20,000 doses have been used “extremely strange”.

Some 400,000 dairy cattle in KwaZulu-Natal still need to be vaccinated.

Regarding the events surrounding the offer of vaccine doses in September, Ferreira states they were unable to obtain clear answers from either the department or the RMIS on the issue that it is illegal for private institutions to possess FMD vaccine, as set out in legislation.

He says the offer to purchase the vaccine privately never came from the department itself. It was crucial for the MPO that such an offer come from the department, as FMD is a state-controlled disease and the distribution and handling of the vaccine must be managed according to strict regulations.

“It must also be stated the handling and prevention of FMD is the responsibility of the state, and it must ensure sufficient vaccine is available at all times – a responsibility the state has completely failed to fulfil. There is no justification for shifting this responsibility onto the industry.”

Ferreira says he forwarded the September offer and the accompanying information to the MPO’s advisory committee and legal representatives. Both indicated they could not proceed with the R14 million purchase of approximately 200,000 BVI vaccine doses, as it would be illegal. The MPO eventually contacted the BVI via the Onderstepoort Veterinary Services (OVI), thereby arranging for 50,000 doses to be procured for dairy cattle. These doses, however, expire at the end of December, and the MPO therefore had to ensure that they were administered as quickly as possible. The MPO has a strong cooperation agreement with the Department of Veterinary Services in KwaZulu-Natal, and vaccinations are taking place daily, in accordance with agreed protocols, across approximately ten municipal areas.

The MPO affirmed it remained committed to supporting dairy farmers affected by the FMD crisis to the best of its ability