Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)

- Economic Impact

FMD incurs enormous economic costs, including:

• Loss of production (milk, meat).
• Trade restrictions and export bans.
• Costs of control measures and vaccination.
• Cost of hygienic disposal of dead animals.
• Loss of generic resources and market access.

The 2001 FMD outbreak in the United Kingdom is a prime example, resulting in the culling of over 6 million animals and costing the economy over £8 billion. Developing countries need strict biosecurity measures.