Toilet paper panic emptied shelves nationwide ahead of COVID-19 lockdowns, but farmers warn consumers face supermarkets devoid of meat and dairy products for much longer periods if foot and mouth disease takes hold in Australia.
Foot and mouth disease causes lameness in livestock and resulted in the destruction of more than 6 million cattle, pigs and sheep in the UK’s 2001 outbreak. It can be carried on clothing, meat, dairy products and in human noses, and can remain infective for up to a month in the right conditions. Again, like the COVID-19 response, states would have the power to ramp up quarantine protections at their borders.Farming, trucking and shipping would come to a standstill.
Eventually, the loss of Australia’s status as a foot and mouth disease-free country could significantly damage its export potential, which could take years to regain.Farmers and authorities agree Australia is in a better position to avoid wide-scale destruction of livestock like in the UK, thanks to the separation of farms.
But the Indonesian outbreak has increased the threat to Australia, not just because of its proximity.“We’ve had people coming back from South America, South Africa, China, India, Vietnam, Thailand, wherever else … they’ve got foot and mouth, but all those countries have got vaccination programs,” Hassell said.
WA Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan said it was crucial that travellers adhered to border rules on fresh produce.“The biggest risk is from people bringing meat or dairy products into the country, whether in their luggage as they return from Indonesia, or Malaysia or Thailand, or if they get their Baba to send them a sausage in the mail.”
hamishhastie 'takes hold'? They're planning disease outbreaks. It's the express intention of the WEF to destroy our traditional sources of food and to move us into the bug-based era. It's not IF but WHEN.
hamishhastie
hamishhastie And just imagine if some people tried a vegetarian diet and found that not only they enjoyed it, but it was healthier and a lot better for the environment
hamishhastie What next The AGE? We'll have to eat cane toads?
hamishhastie Cracks are starting show AlboMP honeymoon over, covid, rising living costs, rate rises, utility rises,foot & mouth and tax cuts for all Politicians costing the country $15.7 billion first year and $184 billion over 10 years. WOW! the Politicians get richer!!!