Governor Rolando Figueroa sent a note to the president of Senasa, which coincides with the opinion of other leaders. It states that “the imposition of making the protection of the health status of this region more flexible” represents “a setback in the international positioning acquired and a subjugation of the efforts of the public and private sectors.”
With the aim of caring for and safeguarding the health status of a foot-and-mouth disease-free zone without vaccination, Governor Rolando Figueroa – in coincidence with other Patagonian leaders – sent a note to the president of Senasa, in which he expressed his deep concern regarding the technical opinion of the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO). The letter expressed the rejection of the province and the productive sector to the possible authorization of the entry of live farms and meat on the bone, from the area with vaccination.
“The imposition of making the protection of the sanitary status of this region more flexible by modifying the conditions of entry to an area with a differential sanitary status, free of foot and mouth disease without vaccination, is a setback in the international positioning acquired and an overpowering of the sector’s efforts. public and private,” the president said in the letter. Achieving this health status required years of effort, work and costs.
Furthermore, he stressed that “the success achieved by this marginal region of the country cannot be put at risk due to the mere commercial interests of those who are not committed to advancing in their health hierarchy.” The logical path is to equalize upwards; That is, other areas of the country become a foot-and-mouth disease-free zone without vaccination.
The governor of Neuquén expressed the concern of different provincial governments and of all actors linked to livestock activity in the region, based on what was reported on June 4 at the meeting of the Senasa Advisory Commission “Vaccination of Foot and Mouth Disease and Foundations”, regarding “The possibility of modifying the Resolution that would allow the aforementioned income of livestock and meat on the bone would be analyzed.” Changes in the current status would generate economic and health damages.
“Beyond the technical opinion of the World Organization for Animal Health, the main countries in the global meat market (United States, European Union, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, etc.) oppose this measure, so take A different position will be totally unfavorable for sectoral development,” he added. Opportunities and international markets that open with the current status would be lost.
Finally, the governor assured that “the recent modifications at the international level, and their eventual adoption without safeguards at the national level, would imply serious damage to the social and productive matrix generated with the achievement and maintenance of current sanitary conditions, which have allowed changes and development in productive systems, thus contributing to the territorial roots of these marginal areas through the strengthening of livestock production chains.”
