Reading Time: 2 minutes Officials from several federal agencies have reassured the public about Canada’s animal biosecurity preparedness. Witnesses from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) spoke to MPs’ concerns about livestock diseases at a committee meeting last Wednesday afternoon. Biosecurity preparedness has been a relevant issue […] Read more

MPs get assurance on Canada’s biosecurity preparedness
Canada well prepared for foreign animal diseases, officials say

Interest-free cash advances get extra lift in federal budget
Fertilizer diversification, solids non-fat processing also up for funding
Reading Time: 4 minutes Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s latest budget envelope for Canadian farmers up against rising costs of production includes a temporary boost to the interest-free portion of cash advances. Freeland’s 2023 federal budget, released Tuesday, includes $13 million in 2023-24 for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to temporarily increase the interest-free limit for loans under its Advance […] Read more

Indonesia’s foot-and-mouth outbreak prompts international measures
'Viral fragments' detected in meats brought into Australia
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Australia and New Zealand say they’ve stepped up protections against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) at their international airports following an outbreak of the disease in Indonesia. Travellers arriving in Australia from Indonesia will now be asked to walk across sanitation foot mats at airports, the latest measure to ramp up Australia’s biosecurity measures, the […] Read more

Canada allows Brazilian beef and pork, Brazil ag minister says
Reading Time: < 1 minute Updated, March 15 — Reuters — Canada has approved the importation of beef and pork from Brazil, which had been blocked over health concerns, authorities from both countries said on Monday. “We are in Ottawa and have just left the Canadian Ministry of Agriculture with … great news: the opening up of the country’s pork […] Read more

Colombia cleared of foot-and-mouth
Country now aims to double meat exports
Reading Time: < 1 minute Bogota | Reuters — Colombia will look to double its meat exports now it has regained its status as a country free of foot-and-mouth disease, President Ivan Duque said on Thursday. Foot-and-mouth is a highly contagious viral disease found in animals and is one of the most serious to affect livestock, including cattle, sheep and […] Read more

OIE declares Brazil free of foot-and-mouth, with vaccination
Reading Time: 2 minutes Paris | Reuters — The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) declared Brazil free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) with vaccination on Thursday, opening new export prospects for the world’s largest beef exporter. The OIE already considered most of Brazil to be free of FMD with vaccination. The declaration, which the government had been expecting since […] Read more

Ontario hogs confirmed with senecavirus
Reading Time: 2 minutes A hog virus watched closely in North America for its strong family resemblance to foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has turned up in hogs in Ontario. Officials with hog industry body Ontario Pork reported Monday that senecavirus A, formerly called Seneca Valley virus or SVV, has been confirmed in the province. Neighbouring industry body Manitoba Pork said […] Read more

Korea finds hogs infected with foot-and-mouth
Reading Time: < 1 minute Seoul | Reuters –– South Korea has detected foot-and-mouth in a southwestern hog farm, the first such discovery in nine months and a blow to authorities pushing to contain the disease. The case involved a type of the disease that animals are inoculated against in South Korea, with all 670 hogs at the infected farm […] Read more
Korea says cattle found infected with foot-and-mouth
Reading Time: < 1 minute Seoul | Reuters –– South Korea said Tuesday that foot-and-mouth had spread to a cattle farm in the country for the first time in more than three years, a blow to authorities battling to contain an outbreak of the disease. The outbreak was discovered around half a year ago on hog farms, intensifying fears about […] Read more
S. Korea to disinfect farms as FMD, bird flu spread
Reading Time: < 1 minute Seoul | Reuters –– South Korea will disinfect farms around the country over the new year and limit the transport of animals, stepping up its effort to contain an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease that has spread close to the capital as well as bird flu. The foot-and-mouth among hogs had been limited to the centre […] Read more