Industry Update
17 April 2026
Industry Update — 17 April 2026
The updates below provide the latest verified information.
FMD ICC Priorities for Engagement
- Technical alignment — joint workshop.
- Vaccine handling and cold chain management.
- Wildlife, hunting season and FMD risk management.
Important updates
- Western Cape dairy vaccination status.
- National operational coordination: vaccine rollout dashboard.
1. Technical alignment — joint workshop
The joint workshop between the Department of Agriculture, the MTT and the FMD ICC is confirmed for Tuesday, 21 April 2026.
The ICC will use the opportunity to raise key issues requiring urgent alignment, including regulatory matters relating to Section 9 and Section 10, vaccine availability, allocation and distribution, and the functioning of provincial coordination structures through the JOCs.
The outcome of the workshop will determine the next steps on these matters.
2. Vaccine handling and cold chain management
The ICC became aware of a vaccine cold chain temperature exposure and immediately engaged the relevant MTT sub-committee members, including Prof. Francois Maree.
The indication from the sub-committee is that the full batch remains in good standing and the vaccine is still considered fit for use.
We were also made aware that Biogénesis Bagó vaccine has been tested to withstand temperatures of up to 30°C with minimal loss of efficacy.
The ICC will raise this matter at the workshop on Tuesday to better understand how this happened and whether there are resources, controls or procedures industry can support to reduce the risk of it happening again.
3. Wildlife, hunting season and FMD risk management
With hunting season fast approaching, questions are being raised about whether roaming wildlife and the movement of hunting by-products, such as hides and horns, may contribute to the spread of FMD.
The ICC will engage Dr Gary Bauer from the MTT for scientific input on the risks involved, as well as Wildlife Ranching South Africa (WRSA) for practical guidance on how these should be managed.
Further feedback will be provided after this engagement.
4. Western Cape dairy vaccination status
In a press release issued by the Minister of Agriculture on 15 April 2026, it was stated that all major dairies in the Western Cape had been fully attended to.
This has caused widespread dissatisfaction among farmers in the province, as many are still urgently awaiting vaccine.
It again highlights the need for accurate provincial reporting and clearer alignment through the JOC structures.
5. National operational coordination: vaccine rollout dashboard
The dashboard for this week, including per-province detail and data sources, is in the original PDF — download it from the link at the top of this page.
The FMD ICC will continue to update stakeholders and provide practical guidance as the national response progresses.
- Please raise any implementation issues directly with any FMD ICC member.
- If you want to report or raise something anonymously, you can send it to 073 786 7363 on WhatsApp.
- If you notice clinical signs of FMD in your animals such as limping, mouth or nose lesions, or excessive drooling/salivation — whether current or anytime in the past three months — please send only the GPS coordinates from the nearest S-road or main road to the same number.
- You are not required to submit any information that can identify you.
Note to Media
- All media enquiries must be directed to Sara-Lea van Eeden, FMD ICC Communications Lead, at sara-lea@s-ellepr.com.
- A minimum lead time of 24 hours is required.
- While we recognise the pressure of news deadlines and will always aim to respond as soon as possible and meet deadlines, the operating environment is dynamic, which may at times affect response timelines.
All media requests must include the following information:
- Your deadline
- Preferred format (for example: live or pre-recorded interview, telephonic, in-person, online, email interview, or written comment)
- The specific focus of your enquiry (for example: scientific or animal health matters, economic or trade impact, or operational response)
- The specific questions you would like addressed
Responses are coordinated across all nine FMD ICC members and this procedure enables the FMD ICC to provide you with accurate responses that support responsible and factual reporting during a national crisis.