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More than 100 nations support new strategy on livestock diseaseFAO/OIE Global Strategy to control foot-and-mouth disease benefits farmers and consumers Bangkok, 29 June 2012 - Farmers and consumers stand to benefit from a new global strategy to control the spread of a deadly livestock disease that was endorsed today by representatives from more than 100 countries and international donors at a conference in Bangkok. Developing countries are often hardest hit by FMD, a highly-contagious viral disease, with small farmers suffering devastating impacts on their earnings and survival. Consumers are also affected as they pay more for milk, meat and other foodstuffs when FMD fells livestock. With cross-border trade also increasing, the transboundary nature of FMD is a regional threat that requires regional approaches and responses. "Foot-and-mouth disease is not a priority in many countries, but when it strikes, the damage is enormous, ranging from losses in production to the culling of animals and trade bans. Good governance of national veterinary services using the OIE PVS Pathway is a critical element of mitigating foot-and-mouth disease with a positive impact on food security and poverty. Besides global control is in the interest of FMD-free countries because it avoids reintroduction of the disease on their territory," OIE Director-General Bernard Vallat told the conference. Included in the process is OIE official recognition of national control programmes and of FMD freedom: today 66 out of 178 OIE member countries are free from FMD. Even developed countries that were previously free of the disease, can suffer outbreaks of FMD: a severe event in the United Kingdom in 2001 caused losses of as much as $30 billion, and a 1997 epidemic in Taiwan Province, People's Republic of China cost $15 billion. The Global Strategy will also promote and strengthen FMD control through the improvement of national veterinary services responsible for animal disease control, so that they can comply with OIE standards on quality. The Strategy is an opportunity to initiate actions that will have beneficial consequences far beyond the control of just one disease. Veterinary services will be better able to combat and prevent other major diseases affecting livestock and other animals. The Global Strategy is expected to produce three results:
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