Determination of foot-and-mouth disease freedom and associated implications on u.s. trade

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)—a devastating disease of livestock—has not occurred in the United States since 1929. However, it remains a concern due to the magnitude and highly mobile nature of domestic and international agricultural trade. An outbreak of FMD in the United States would significantly impact food security and the economy for years to come. International recognition of freedom from FMD is therefore highly valued and sought after. Internationally, FMD-freedom is determined by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and is dependent on many factors. The United States similarly evaluates disease freedom and makes determinations that often align with the OIE but at times also diverge. This paper seeks to examine how the OIE and United States evaluate and determine FMD freedom, time to regain freedom in previously free countries, and the relationship between FMD-freedom and trade. The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, the U.S. Federal Register and key texts of the OIE were examined for disease freedom recognition procedures and country experiences. U.S. import data from the Global Agricultural Trade System was analyzed for compliance with U.S. regulations. Average time to regain FMD-freedom from the OIE is 274 days and from the United States, 398.5 days. This time is significantly lengthened by the use of emergency vaccination. Preliminary U.S. import data suggest that fresh, unprocessed, red meat is being or has been recently imported from non-free countries. More research is being conducted on the validity and implications of these preliminary results.