Clover SA urges standardised FMD strategy to safeguard dairy industry

SOUTH AFRICA – Clover SA has raised concern about the state’s management of foot and mouth disease (FMD) control measures, asserting that current practices are inconsistent, non-standardised, and surpass international standards, significantly harming South Africa’s dairy industry.

The company’s alarm comes in the context of an increasingly fragile export market that, they believe, is being needlessly jeopardised despite compliance with safety standards that are not only nationally adequate but, in many cases, exceed international expectations.

In a statement, Johann Vorster, Clover’s CEO, emphasised the critical need for coherent FMD eradication strategies across provinces, noting that the inconsistent application of export permits and veterinary attestations is creating major roadblocks for local dairy producers.

He said, “FMD is a national disaster which requires strong eradication measures. However, these are being wrongly conflated with dairy processing standards. This is shutting down exports of products that are scientifically safe for human consumption.”

Clover SA said that currently, numerous barriers due to uneven regulations are limiting South African dairy products from penetrating foreign markets effectively.

The company highlighted that, despite compliance with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) guidelines, which affirm that ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) treated dairy can be traded without FMD related certification, local protocols unnecessarily complicate the export process, leading to regulatory deadlock.

The ongoing confusion surrounding the classification of vaccinated versus infected milk has also been brought to light.

Vorster said, “Vaccinated milk is being incorrectly treated and classified as infected milk, despite vaccination being a recognised disease-control tool and not an indicator of infection. This dramatically expands restrictions without any scientific justification whatsoever.”

He believes these misclassifications threaten the entire dairy value chain, from milk collection to processing, and contribute to escalating costs for producers.

As vital sectors of the agricultural economy, Clover warned that prolonged implementation of these stringent and misaligned control measures could threaten the viability of exports, leading to reduced milk collections, potential job losses, and a notable drop in national food security.

In light of the dire situation, Clover said it is collaborating with the dairy industry to advocate for urgent reforms.

They are calling for an immediate establishment of a clear national minimum standard aligned with WOAH guidelines, sensible distinctions between infected, vaccinated, and FMD-free milk, and the removal of unnecessary restrictions on UHT products.

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