Twenty years after the foot and mouth disease crisis: ‘little has been learned from that time’

For example, in the event of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, animals on neighboring farms are given a “life vaccination.” This means that these vaccinated animals can survive and not be killed prematurely. Only animals from farms that are infected and severely suspected. Will be killed. .

The spokesman said killing animals should be avoided as much as possible. “After all, it’s about live animals, which are part of the companies and families that look after them every day.”

very sad

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, measures were taken in 2001 “which were deemed necessary at the time” to prevent the spread of the virus. “These measures had an enormous impact on the affected livestock keepers, their families and their communities. It is very sad that so many animals have died.”

Another amendment made since the 2001 outbreak is that vaccinated animals no longer need to be killed. “These animals will have to be consumed later in the area,” explains cattle farmer Wim Van Eyck. “But I think this will never happen, because then the meat will be marked. And everyone in the supermarket that sees that, leaves the grafted meat and picks something that has not been grafted feeling. This while this is not unhealthy.”

But according to him, this is the reality. “So we have no choice but to make it clear. That will still happen. It still feels bitter, even after twenty years.”