The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) expects the trade of beef and pork products to improve after large swaths of Luzon have been declared free of the dreaded foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

BAI director Dr. Efren Nuestro said the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) declared last May 25 that Zones 1 and 3 of Luzon as FMD-free areas where vaccination is not practised.

Nuestro added such declaration has been a boost to the livestock industry and is crucial in expanding trade with other countries.

He credited industry players for such an outstanding achievement but nonetheless stressed the necessity of strengthening the capability of all stakeholders to battle emerging and re-emerging diseases.

Moreover, all players should be ready to maintain efficient production systems and impose the best practices in breeding livestock.

“Although the industry still has a lot of work to do, we are very grateful for this opportunity to express our appreciation of everyone who has been a part of the FMD Eradication Program,” said Nuestro. “I expect that this recognition will scale-up our animal health programs; it is indeed a very strong basis for strengthening border control measures.”

FMD is endemic in South East Asia and only parts of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines have been recognized by the OIE as FMD-free areas.

The campaign to eradicate FMD had been going on for 15 years, with stakeholders and government working together to battle the disease.