Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has appointed an Industry Coordination Council to support implementation of the country’s national long-term Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) strategy.

The council has been established to ensure industry plays an active, coordinated role in supporting the phased rollout of the FMD strategy, including vaccine distribution, traceability and disease control readiness.

Steenhuisen says the council will engage directly with him and assures the industry that its input will be taken seriously.

“Government cannot do this alone; we need the full strength of the private sector, farmers and veterinarians collaborating with us. We now have a roadmap and I am accountable for its delivery,” he states.

Steenhuisen is confident that South Africa can achieve FMD-free status in less than ten years.

The Industry Coordination Council forms part of a triangular partnership to deliver on the FMD response, which Steenhuisen announced last month.

The Department of Agriculture is responsible for policy, regulatory support and resourcing, while the Technical and Scientific Task Team has offered scientific, veterinary and epidemiological expertise. The council, in turn, will provide operational insight, strategic guidance and unified industry input.

To ensure a coordinated approach with industry, the Minister issued a directive assigning the council the role of aligning industry efforts with national FMD control measures.

This includes establishing and operating an industry coordination mechanism to mobilise sector actions; consolidating industry situational information; coordinating industry communication; supporting implementation readiness for traceability and audit-ready record-keeping required for movement compliance and compartmentalised operations; and facilitating non-statutory logistics, including training, awareness and implementation monitoring.

The council will engage regularly with both the department and the Technical and Scientific Task Team to ensure alignment between policy, implementation and veterinary oversight.

The council began its work last month, with the first formal meeting held on January 21. Weekly engagements will follow to maintain momentum, support structured monitoring and ensure consistent progress.

Coming from various spheres and organisations in the private sector, the council members are Agri SA CEO Johann Kotzé, Transvaal Agricultural Union of South Africa MD Bennie van Zyl, Agricultural Business Chamber CEO Theo Boshoff, University of the Free State lecturer and agriculture economist Frikkie Maré, Milk Producers Organisation CEO Fanie Ferreira,South African Pork Producers Organisation CEO Marlene Louw, African Farmers’ Association of South Africa CEO Bongani Msimang, Simbra Cattle Breeders’ Society of Southern Africa director Kobus Bester and Red Meat Industry Services CEO Dewald Olivier.

The council members have welcomed Steenhuisen’s commitment and willingness to work closely with industry, saying this engagement reflects an accountable and technically informed approach to implementation of the FMD strategy.