The new Minister of Agriculture, Willie Aucamp, announced that the government will end complete state control over vaccine imports and distributions.

Jan de Villiers, the DA’s national spokesperson, said in a news release on Friday that this will open the door for private entities and farmers to procure and vaccinate their cattle. “This is a game changer in the fight against Foot and Mouth Disease,” he said.

Aucamp and Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) have expressly relinquished sole rights to the import and/or distribution of FMD vaccines.

Owners and managers of cloven-hoofed livestock may now voluntarily vaccinate their livestock against FMD. They must comply with biosecurity rules, traceability and reporting.

Free State Agriculture, Saai and Sakeliga reached a settlement with the Department of Agriculture on Thursday that will give farmers the right to vaccinate their cattle.

This brings to an end months of battles between agricultural organisations and the Department of Agriculture under former minister John Steenhuisen that insisted that only the state could lawfully supply FDM vaccines.

Francois Wilken, president of Free State Agriculture, said in a press release on Friday that this is a great victory in the battle against the disease.

Free State Agriculture have continuously maintained that cooperation between the government and private sector is urgent in the fight to prevent the spreading of FMD.

 “This settlement confirms what we have stated from the beginning, namely that farmers must be part of the solution. This gives producers the necessary right to protect their herds and contributes to greater stability in the agricultural sector,” says Wilken.

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 Free State Agriculture, as well as the Minister of Agriculture agree that the way forward must be focused on collaboration, sufficient availability of vaccines and a coordinated, national vaccination strategy.

Wilken said Free State Agriculture remains committed to protecting food security, the sustainability of the livestock sector and promoting practical, workable solutions for its members and the broader agricultural community.

This agreement opens up the market and gives private entities the right to import and distribute vaccines and brings to a close previous litigation.

The DA calls on private sector role payers to now import these vaccines at scale. “Aucamp’s urgency, after only one week in office, has shown his clear intention to prioritise the needs of the farmers of South Africa,” De Villiers said.

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