Question Period Note: FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE (FMD)

Q1 – What is the Government of Canada policy on vaccination for foot-and-mouth disease? Q2 – How is Canada working to secure sufficient doses of FMD vaccines to protect Canada’s livestock industry against a significant FMD outbreak?

R1 - The Government of Canada will only use foot-and-mouth vaccinations under certain circumstances in attempt to limit further disease spread while eradicating the disease during an outbreak response.
The evidence shows that using vaccination in large outbreaks combined with a stamping-out strategy significantly reduces the outbreak size and duration compared to a stamping-out strategy alone. In the event of an FMD outbreak, activities under the CFIA’s stamping-out strategy include establishing movement controls, ordering the humane destruction of all infected and exposed animals, conducting trace-out activities, overseeing the cleaning and disinfection of premises and verifying that affected farms remain free of FMD according to international standards.
If emergency vaccination is deemed appropriate, the vaccine will only be administered in areas surrounding the disease outbreak. R2 - The Government of Canada is working with provinces and territories to establish a Canadian foot-and-mouth disease Vaccine Bank and has announced $57.5M over 5 years and $5.6M ongoing to support this work.
In addition to developing a Canadian Vaccine Bank, Canada is also a member of the North American Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank, which gives it access to a limited supply of vaccines.
Together these initiatives will help Canada ensure sufficient doses of FMD vaccine to be prepared for a disease outbreak and help mitigate prolonged market disruptions to trade should an outbreak occur.
 

Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) is a severe, highly communicable viral disease of cattle and swine. It also affects sheep, goats, deer and other cloven-hoofed ruminants. The disease is characterized by fever and blister-like sores on the tongue and lips, in the mouth, on the teats and between the hooves. Many affected animals recover, but the disease leaves them weakened and debilitated. Horses are not affected.
FMD is not readily transmissible to humans and is not a public health risk. Under certain laboratory conditions of very high virus exposure, transmission to humans has occurred and results in no more than mild blisters. It is not considered a food safety issue.
In Canada, FMD is a reportable disease under the Health of Animals Act, and all suspect cases must be reported to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
Canada has been free from FMD since 1952, and strict measures, such as importation controls, are in place to prevent the disease from entering Canada.
Canadian livestock producers play a key role in protecting animal health. Strict biosecurity practises should always be followed to minimize the introduction and spread of any infectious animal disease, including FMD. Anytime an individual suspects the presence of a reportable disease in their animals, they are required to immediately contact the CFIA and/or a private veterinarian.
If FMD was found in Canada
If FMD was found in Canada, the export of live animals, meat, dairy and meat products manufactured from susceptible species (mostly beef and pork) would be halted. Once the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has approved documented proof of the eradication of FMD from Canada, they will declare Canada free again and the CFIA would work together with partners in Global Affairs Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and national industry associations to re-establish trade as quickly as possible.
Canada has plans in place to rapidly and effectively control and eradicate FMD. The current strategy is designed to quickly identify all exposed premises, cull infected, exposed and potentially-exposed high-risk animals, and decontaminate the environment to avoid further spread. Stamping out is defined by WOAH as, the depopulation, disposal and cleaning and disinfection of a premises. In practice, the scope and details of the response and timelines would depend upon several factors including how far FMD has spread before it is detected, the density of livestock in the affected area(s),and the effectiveness of biosecurity measures on the farms.
As FMD is an official status disease, trading partners will consider all of Canada to be infected with the finding of one case. The use of zones for disease control by CFIA (Primary control zone [PCZ]) will not be recognized by trading partners. WOAH during an outbreak for diseases with Official status. The WOAH Terrestrial Code has changed to allow one containment zone to be established by a country, which must contain all cases and be in place for 28 days. The affected country must submit a dossier containing the evidence that FMD is contained within the containment zone and appropriate controls are in place to prevent any escapes to the area outside of the zone. The Scientific Commission of WOAH will then assess the evidence and if they agree, they will reinstate the free status of the area outside of the zone. Trade can then resume from the free areas if trading partners accept the WOAH decision.
Changes to the WOAH code now allow one zone to be created which must contain all cases and be in place for 28 days. Once approved by WOAH they will declare the area outside the zone to be free and trade can resume from the free areas in trading partners accept the WOAH decision.
The use of vaccines in the event of an FMD outbreak will require the extensive participation of the livestock sectors. The CFIA is working in collaboration with Animal Health Canada, national producer associations, provinces and territories on a vaccination strategy before the need arises.
Vaccine bank
While Canada has access a limited number of doses of vaccine from the North American Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine (NAFMDV) bank, this allocation falls well below the estimated 1.9 million to 2.7 million doses required to control a large outbreak.
Budget 2023 announced $57.5M over 5 years (2023-24 to 2027-28) and $5.6M ongoing to establish a FMD vaccine bank for Canada and develop FMD response plans.
Funding will enable CFIA to secure sufficient doses of FMD vaccines, to protect Canada’s livestock industry against large and uncontrolled FMD outbreaks.
This investment would be in addition to Canada’s current access to vaccines through the NAFMDV bank.
The Canadian vaccine bank will help protect Canada from the emerging threat of this disease, maintain public confidence in the Canadian food supply, and help mitigate prolonged market disruptions to trade should an outbreak occur.
The Government of Canada is working together with provinces and territories to establish the Canadian FMD Vaccine Bank.
 

• The Government is committed to protecting animal health and preventing the introduction and spread of animal diseases.
• Strict measures are in place to prevent foot-and-mouth disease from entering Canada, including controls on animal and food imports and declaration requirements for travellers at the border.
• The Government is working with provinces and territories to establish a Canadian foot-and-mouth disease Vaccine Bank, and has announced $57.5M over 5 years and $5.6M ongoing to support this work.
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency monitors the status of foot-and-mouth disease worldwide and has emergency preparedness and response plans ready in the event the disease enters Canada.