Technology, public policy and control of transboundary livestock diseases in our lifetimes

There are no technological barriers to eliminating major transboundary livestock diseases. ‘Elimination ’ means that diseases no longer threaten livestock in the developed world nor the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of small farmers elsewhere. The problem is not lack of technology but failure of public policy. Developed country policy should actively combat accidental and intentional introductions; protect livestock against future advanced biological weapons; minimise the economic impacts after introduction by any means; abandon mass slaughter as a control tool; engage in disease removal in pursuit of a global economic, societal, and environmental agenda; and make appropriate national and cooperative investments. This is the moment for policy change because transboundary livestock disease elimination now involves powerful government ministries outside ministries of agriculture that are concerned about disease threats from many sources. Change can acquire support from the public and many organisations with shared interests. New policy is needed to change the belief that government is solely responsible for excluding disease, responding t