Does Your Dairy Farm Have an Emergency Plan for a Foot and Mouth Disease

The recent new outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the United Kingdom (U.K.) suggests the possibility that a similar outbreak could occur in the U.S. in spite of the safeguards that are in place. In fact, FMD is endemic in Asia, Africa, Middle East, and parts of South America. So what steps do you need to take to guard against FMD and to be prepared for a potential outbreak in the U.S.? These actions should be considered part of your farm emergency management plan to reduce risks to your business. If your business was in the U.K. today, what steps would you take and how quickly could you implement them? Further, what role might you have should a FMD outbreak occur? In the Michigan Dairy Review article “What to Expect with a Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak. ” (2), four roles for producers during a FMD outbreak were listed