Up Front
In wake of Footand Mouth Disease...
DOA Bans Animal and Animal Products Imports
In response to the expanding outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease(FMD) in Europe, the Cayman Islands Department of Agricultureon Wednesday (14 March) announced the temporary ban on the importationof all live animals, including pet animals, and animal products,including milk and dairy products from the European Union, inclusiveof the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
This action follows the confirmation yesterdayof the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease to France. The move augmentsthe existing ban on the importation of UK meat and meat products.Similar restrictions have also been enacted by other jurisdictionsincluding USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
These measures are the latest in a co-ordinatedprogramme by the Department of Agriculture to keep this diseaseof major economic importance from spreading to the Cayman Islands.
Following what the department says was avery productive meeting with the local farmers last night, thedepartment has further decided to act on the request of the localfarming community and temporarily halt the importation of alllivestock, including horses, into the Cayman Islands.
Announcing this additional measure, ChiefAgricultural and Veterinary Officer, Dr. Alfred Benjamin, stated,"At the rate at which this outbreak is spreading, the departmentfeels that it is prudent at this time to support farmers' callsto halt all livestock imports until the current situation stabilisesand we can be sure which countries have been affected by thisdevastating disease."
The department's actions are in keepingwith recommendations by the United Nations Food and AgriculturalOrganisation (FAO), which has advised countries to adopt toughermeasures to protect their borders. Recommendations include strictercontrols on travellers and on the movement of animals and importsof foods, including those carried by visitors, as this diseasecould strike countries around the world.
"Any country around the world mightbe contaminated", warned Yves Cheneau, head of the UN body'sanimal health service and the organisation's senior expert onfoot and mouth disease, in an interveiw with Reuters news agency."When we look at the way that the (FMD) virus spreads, it'svery clear that every country is threatened."