Review of Potential Impacts of New Technologies on Australia's FMD Planning and Policies

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has received a report reviewing the potential impacts of new technologies on Australia’s foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) planning and policies.

The review also takes into consideration the possible new role of vaccination in an FMD outbreak.

Stakeholders were invited to submit comments on this review in 2006, and these comments will be considered in the future improvement of Australia's current FMD response strategy, the AUSVETPLAN FMD Disease Strategy.

The department commissioned Ausvet Animal Health Services Pty Ltd and the CSIRO Livestock Industries Australian Animal Health Laboratory to prepare the review which:

• summarises new and developing technologies that may impact on the management of an FMD outbreak in Australia
  
  
• analyses the potential effect of each of these technologies on Australia’s FMD preparedness and response policies and plans, and
  
  
• makes recommendations on their use or potential use in Australia’s strategy for managing an FMD outbreak.

Background to the Review 

The economic effects of a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Australia – even on a small scale – would be enormous. It would result in:

• the immediate closure of many of Australia’s major export markets for livestock and livestock products, and
  
  
• an estimated minimum loss to the national economy of between $2 billion and $3 billion in Gross Domestic Product, rising to between $8 billion and $13 billion for a 12-month outbreak.

For this reason, it is essential that Australia's disease response plans are tested and updated regularly and take new techniques and technologies into consideration.

Review of the Potential Impacts of New Technologies on Australia's FMD Planning and Policies

Report to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry by Ausvet Animal Health Services Pty Ltd and the CSIRO Livestock Industries Australian Animal Health Laboratory. 

• Table of Contents  Word [290kb] PDF [68kb]
  
  
• Summary & Conclusions  Word [266kb] PDF [102kb]
  
  
• Full Report  Word [1.3mb] PDF [1.1mb]
  
  
• Bibliography of Scientific Publications concerning Foot-and-Mouth Disease (1990-2005)
  Word [705kb] PDF [741kb]

For more information phone the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer (OCVO) on +61 2 6272 3933.