Foot-and-mouth disease fears trigger red meat ‘option’ plans

The Australian government is in pre-emptive talks with trading partners about potential options to continue exporting red meat products in the event of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Farmers spray disinfectant on livestock after being given the second phase of the foot-and-mouth disease vaccine in Bandung, Indonesia. Picture: Agvi Firdaus

The Australian government is in pre-emptive talks with trading partners about potential options to continue exporting red meat products in the event of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Options include zoning arrangements in which certain areas could be considered disease-free, vaccination programs or a globally recognised control program.

But the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has warned that readmittance to global markets would come only after “protracted negotiations”, which is why some discussions are taking place even while Australia remains free of the disease.

In the event of an incursion, Australia stands to lose its enviable disease-free status, which yields red meat exporters unfettered access to global markets and premium prices.

New analysis from the department has estimated the disease would have an annual $14.63bn impact on Australian exports, while an outbreak of lumpy skin disease, which experts say is more likely, would deliver a $7.39bn hit.

Those figures were a “conservative estimate”, DAFF Exports and Veterinary Services Division first assistant secretary Tom Black told a National Farmers Federation webinar.

“A broad range of commodities including meat and meat products, dairy … wool, skins and hides, pet food, live animals and their reproductive material would be affected,” he said.

In the event of an outbreak, to meet legislative requirements and avoid reputational risk, the government would immediately suspend the export of animal products.

It would mean some exporters would be unable to meet existing certification requirements and importers would be likely to implement their own emergency response banning certain products from Australia.