Foot and Mouth Disease

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Biosecurity Threat:

• Highly contagious viral disease
• Sheep, cattle, pigs, deer, goats threatened
• No cure – infected stock must be slaughtered
• Meat exports endangered - animal by-products and dairy products would stop
• NZ trade reputation would be damaged
• Unemployment would rise (estimated 20,000 jobs)
• NZ Treasury estimated in 2003 the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would lose $10 billion over a two year period

Field Staff:

• GIS Analysts
• Epidemiologists
• Livestock Technicians
• Logistics Management
• Track and Trace Specialists
• Movement Control Experts 

Action:

• 40 AsureQuality (then AgriQuality) response experts activated including epidemiologists, livestock technicians, GIS analysts, movement control experts, logistics managers
• Satellite headquarters established on Waiheke within 24 hours
• AsureQuality staff in-field for disease identification within 24 hours
• Epidemiologists and contracted veterinarians assessed and monitored each farm
• Stock movement reports of previous few days created using AgriBase™  
• Checkpoints set up at key transit points within 24 hours
• Aerial reconnaissance used to validate stock data

Result:

• Outbreak proved to be a hoax
• Staff were withdrawn from the Island