This warning follows after the minister of Agriculture, Thoko Didiza, released a statement confirming an outbreak of FMD on farms in the JB Marks Local Municipality. The department says that vaccinations for FMD in South Africa are strictly regulated by government, with approval from the Director of Animal Health. OFM News' Elsabé Richard reports that the department says the use of vaccines without authorisation can result in vaccinated animals testing positive and being classified as infected, leading to further measures being imposed on the farm. The department further urges farmers to report any suspicious clinical symptoms such as salivation, blisters in the mouth, and limping animals, to the local State Veterinarian immediately, and such animals must not be moved under any circumstances.

The National Animal Health Forum says that if the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in North West is handled in the correct way, it will be possible to resolve it quickly. The forum says in a statement the North West Provincial Department of Agriculture and the National Department of Agriculture will have to play a leading role in this regard, while the national and provincial animal health forums will provide its full support. The forum has further noted that it seems as if the outbreak in the North West is the result of the possible illegal movement of cattle from or out of affected areas. It adds that such actions are regarded as industrial sabotage and that drastic measures will follow against the guilty individuals. It says the industry will support the Department of Agriculture and the province in its endeavours to bring the guilty parties to book.

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The 2022 NAMPO Harvest Day, which will be kicking off on 16 May for five days, will get underway at 50% of NAMPO Park’s capacity. This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa's address on Tuesday night announcing the adjusted Level 1 regulations. According to Toit Wessels, Assistant Manager of NAMPO, the theme for this year is “Experience It!”. He invites the agricultural industry and the public at large to experience the biggest agricultural show in the southern hemisphere, first hand.





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