MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Regional FAM alert

A “regional alert” against foot and mouth disease was announced in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, at the end of a meeting of Agriculture and Livestock Ministers and experts from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile and Peru.

The meeting was convened following reports of FAM outbreaks in Bolivia and Paraguay that are under strong pressure from neighbouring countries who have invested massive amounts of money in eradicating the disease. However in spite of repeated promises and claims of vaccination campaigns, FAM still is endemic in Bolivia and Paraguay, endangering the region's beef exports.

According to the official Santa Cruz de la Sierra declaration, the regional alert is motivated in the "FAM sanitary emergency in Bolivia and Paraguay, and the alert situation in the northern provinces of Argentina".

The urgent ministerial meeting underlines the importance of the fight against FAM "that must be undertaken as a permanent war on a common enemy".

A contingency plan for the region establishes a "strategic massive vaccination campaign" under the supervision of the Standing Veterinary Committee of the South Livestock Council.