FMD: Billions lost in beef revenue

The Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has escalated into a full-blown national crisis with severe consequences for South Africa’s agricultural trade, rural jobs and food security. Free State Agriculture (FSA) warns that the ongoing failure to contain outbreaks and ensure timely access to vaccines is now directly undermining the country’s credibility as a trading partner and placing thousands of farming businesses at risk.

Referring to a recent report by the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP), Friedl von Maltitz, vice president of FSA and a cattle farmer, says South Africa lost its FMD-free status in 2019 and that the situation has since deteriorated sharply. According to the report, in 2025 alone, reported FMD cases surged to more than 24 000 — the highest number on record — with outbreaks spreading to eight of the country’s nine provinces. As a result, the livestock sector has been pushed into a high-burden disease scenario.

Von Maltitz warns that the economic consequences of FMD are profound. According to BFAP estimates, continued FMD outbreaks could result in up to R25.6 billion in lost gross production value (GPV) over the next decade if decisive interventions are not implemented. Under a high-burden scenario, losses of R11.3 billion in GPV between 2025 and 2030 are already projected, excluding further downstream impacts on employment and rural economies.

Trade has been particularly hard hit. Recurrent FMD outbreaks have led to the closure or restriction of key export markets, eroding years of progress made by the red meat industry. Between 2019 and 2025, South Africa lost more than R821 million in beef export revenue, with losses expected to climb to R2.6 billion by the end of 2026 if the current trajectory continues. In just one year, beef export volumes dropped by over 13 000 tons, translating into a R371 million decline in export value between 2024 and 2025.

The dairy sector is experiencing similar devastation. Economic losses linked to FMD in dairy herds have already exceeded R1 billion, with more than 90 affected farms and over 210 000 animals impacted since late 2025. “These losses threaten the survival of family farms and rural communities through thousands of jobs losses.” says Von Maltitz.

Legal action

Against this backdrop, Free State Agriculture, together with other agricultural role players, has taken the decision to pursue legal action.

“This step was not taken lightly. It follows years of engagement, warnings and requests for urgent intervention – including private sector access to effective vaccines, a transparent disease control strategy and decisive leadership to protect both farmers and the national economy.”, says Francois Wilken, president of FSA. 

The legal action seeks to compel meaningful and decisive action to halt the spread of FMD, safeguard South Africa’s trade relationships and prevent further economic destruction. “Without immediate corrective measures, the country risks long-term damage to its livestock industries, export reputation and food production capacity.”

Free State Agriculture reiterates that this crisis is not only a farming issue – it is a national economic and trade emergency. Protecting animal health is fundamental to protecting jobs, rural stability and South Africa’s standing in global agricultural markets.

“This is not a membership drive, nor is it political posturing or an attempt to discredit any individual or party”, say Von Maltitz and Wilken. This is the voice of farmers on the ground, desperate, under siege and running out of options — demanding urgent, transparent and competent administrative action. “Lives, livelihoods and a vital national industry are at stake, and farmers are fighting for nothing more than the chance to survive!”