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 vaccines to protect Canada’s livestock industry against a large-scale foot and mouth disease outbreak? Q3: What is the status of the establishment of the foot and mouth disease vaccine bank (i.e. status of the contract)

R.1 - The Government will only use foot and mouth disease vaccination during an outbreak for the purpose of limiting disease spread in concert with eradication efforts.

The evidence shows that using vaccination in large outbreaks, combined with a stamping-out strategy (depopulation, disposal, cleaning and disinfection of premises) significantly reduces the outbreak size and duration compared to a stamping-out strategy alone.

If the Canadian Food Inspection Agency deems emergency vaccination appropriate, the vaccine will only be administered in areas surrounding the disease outbreak. R.2 - The Government of Canada is working to establish a Canadian Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine bank. Budget 2023 allocated $57.5M over 5 years and $5.6M ongoing to support this work and to further develop foot and mouth disease response plans.

Canada is also a member of the North American Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank, which provides Canada access to a limited supply of vaccines.

These initiatives will provide Canada with access to a sufficient supply of foot and mouth disease vaccine, should an outbreak occur, to help reduce the spread of the disease leading to fewer cases and shorter duration. R.3 - The Request for proposal to supply vaccine products to the foot-and-mouth vaccine bank was posted on Canada Buys on August 30, 2024.

The successful bidder(s) would provide concentrated FMD vaccines that could be transformed into usable vaccines in the event of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

This is an important milestone for advancing the Government of Canada’s commitment to establish a FMD vaccine bank for Canada.

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 but not horses. Many affected animals recover, but the disease leaves them weakened and debilitated.

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.

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 Canadian Food Inspection Agency (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. According to a 2002 study by Serecon Management Consulting Inc. on behalf of the Canadian Animal Health Coalition, the economic impacts in Canada are estimated to be between $20.9B and $65.2B depending on the mode of introduction and extent of spread. Once the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has approved documented proof of the eradication of FMD from Canada, it would declare Canada free from FMD again. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency would work together with partners in provinces and territories, Global Affairs Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and national industry associations to re-establish trade as quickly as possible.

Canada and other trading partners such as the US have 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. A stamping out strategy would be employed including depopulation, disposal and cleaning and disinfection of a premises.

The scope and details of the response and timelines will 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.

International trade implications

FMD is an official status disease under the World Organisation for Animal Health Terrestrial Code. Canada is considered free of FMD where vaccination is not practiced. The finding of one case in the country would lead to trading partners considering all of Canada to be infected with FMD.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Terrestrial Code allows a country to establish one containment zone, which must contain all FMD 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. WOAH will then assess the evidence to determine whether to 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.

Vaccine bank

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 further develop FMD response plans.

This investment is in addition to Canada’s current access to a limited number of doses of vaccine from the North American Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine (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 reduce the spread of the disease, leading to fewer cases and shorter duration should an outbreak occur.

The Government of Canada is working together with provinces and territories to establish the Canadian FMD vaccine bank and further update FMD response plans.

On August 30, 2024 the CFIA launched a transparent and competitive procurement process to establish Canada's 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 including controls on imports and traveller declarations.

The Government has allocated $57.5M over 5 years and $5.6M ongoing to establish a Canadian Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine bank and to further develop response plans.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency monitors the status of foot and mouth disease worldwide and has emergency preparedness and response plans ready.