More Action Needed to Halt Risk of FMD

Australian livestock farmers and the industries and communities that underpin them are facing an economic and social crisis that will cripple their livestock farms should foot and mouth disease reach Australia.

The economic consequences would be devastating for livestock producers. It is estimated that our red meat exports would be immediately hit with losses valued at $15 billion and it would take years to return to markets that will be lost.

The impact on farmers and their families will be crippling. Farmers have been through devastating droughts, floods and bushfires over the past years and for many, the effects of a FMD outbreak would see them leave the industry in even greater numbers than in recent years. 

This would result in a further reduction in fresh milk production, which is already falling throughout Australia.

Supermarket customers will see an immediate reduction in the availability of Australian dairy and meat products on the supermarket shelves and prices will be higher.

FMD in cows is a painful disease that causes blisters in their mouths and results in cows being euthanised. The UK outbreak in 2001 resulted in 6 million animals being killed. The impact on our industry will be far greater.

Overall, the financial impact of an uncontrolled outbreak in Australia would be approximately $80 billion over 10 years.

With FMD on Australia’s doorstep, over the past months the federal and state governments, in conjunction with peak agricultural bodies, have been discussing ways to enhance our biosecurity to prevent FMD from reaching our shores.

Campaigns have been undertaken to educate overseas travellers, particularly to tourist hotspots with FMD such as Bali.

However, this is not enough. Paying compensation to affected farmers would never replace the true value of their cows. They need to ensure that their farms are FMD safe.

It is not inevitable that FMD will arrive in Australia.  Those who express this view are wrong and it must not be accepted. 

Instead, much more must be done to prevent FMD from reaching our shores.

The Government must immediately reconsider imposing travel restrictions to areas that are close to Australia and which are FMD infected. This may only be needed for a short period of time but it will enable those nations to vaccinate their cows and thus control the outbreaks. 

The announcement by the Federal Government to introduce 'sanitation foot mats' for incoming travellers from infected countries at all airports is welcomed but other shoes being carried by passengers must be inspected and disinfected as necessary. This is a further extension but is an inexpensive and effective solution.

We introduced harsh restrictions to halt COVID over the past years, we must do likewise to stop FMD and to protect our livestock industries. The risk is too great – more needs to be done now.

We will regret it if we do not do so.

Shaughn Morgan, co-CEO eastAUSmilk