The gathering, held in early August, brought together government officials, industry leaders, veterinarians, scientists, and organised agriculture under one roof. A central outcome was consensus on the urgent need for a public–private partnership (PPP) model, recognising that “government institutions alone lack the resources and capacity to manage the situation effectively.”

The proposed strategic direction spans short, medium, and long-term measures.

Three-phase strategic plan

Short-term actions (0–12 months) include establishing rapid-response capacity in all provinces through industry–private veterinary–government partnerships, implementing large-scale targeted vaccination starting in KwaZulu-Natal to create buffer zones, and approving red meat biosecurity compartments for cow–calf producers, feedlots, and export abattoirs.

Medium-term measures (1–3 years) involve expanding veterinary capacity via PPPs that also address brucellosis, alongside post-vaccination monitoring and a national active surveillance programme.

Long-term goals (3–5 years) will see revisions to the Animal Health Act regulations to reflect “current realities and enable sustained industry–government partnerships”.

Key industry discussions

Delegates debated a wide range of issues, including vaccine availability, “vaccinate-to-live” versus “vaccinate-to-kill” policies, expanded diagnostics and laboratory capacity, market access under compartmentalisation, national traceability systems, electronic permit enforcement, and financing disease-control measures.

Task groups were formed to focus on vaccines, diagnostics, biosecurity, market access, animal identification and movement control, wildlife, and the “progressive pathway” regulatory reforms.

Current status and progress

According to the report released after the indaba, agreement in principle on the PPP approach has been reached, task groups are operational, and the industry’s final plan has been submitted to the national department of agriculture (NDA). Engagement on compartment approvals and regulatory amendments is ongoing, and industry funding models are being explored.

No changes will be made to the agreed plan for now, and it will serve as the guideline for future discussions between NDA and industry, the report states.

Since the indaba, meetings have been held with the diagnostics team on additional laboratory capacity, and vaccine production discussions have tasked Dr Gerhard Neethling with drafting a vaccination protocol. The “progressive pathways” team has begun work on a roadmap for government engagement.

Vaccine supply and procurement

The report notes that the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) cannot meet current vaccine manufacturing requirements, while the Biological Vaccine Institute (BVI) faces production constraints. Potential alternative suppliers have been identified, and “an in-principle agreement has been reached… to allow industry role-players to purchase vaccines through Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS)” on a rand-for-rand basis with no mark-up.

Industry sentiment remains urgent. “Farmers are under severe pressure, urgently seeking assistance,” the report warns. It emphasises that the crisis response is “a process, not an event”, requiring both immediate relief and long-term resilience. Without resolving movement restrictions and stalled livestock sales now, it cautions, “long-term plans will remain academic exercises”.

OFM Agri cvs