Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious and severe disease that affects cattle, sheep, swine, and other cloven-hoofed animals making it hard for them to eat and walk, leaving them weak and sick.
The FMD vaccine bank builds on existing protections for the livestock industry and equips producers with another tool to control and eliminate the disease should an outbreak occur.
Budget 2023 committed $57.5 million over five years, with $5.6 million ongoing, to the CFIA to establish the FMD vaccine bank and response plans.
Contracts have been awarded to Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and Biogénesis Bagó SA to supply multiple types of vaccine products and develop Canada's first FMD vaccine bank.
President of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Paul MacKinnon says the announcement highlights our continued commitment to enhancing Canada's animal disease preparedness and prevention plans.
"Securing our own supply of FMD emergency vaccines will not only help reduce the spread during a potential outbreak but also help protect the livelihood of Canadian farmers by minimizing the impact on international trade."
FMD is considered to be a key economic threat estimated to have between $22 and $75 billion in economic impact for Canada.
President of the Canadian Cattle Association Tyler Fulton says establishing a dedicated FMD vaccine bank is a vital tool in safeguarding the health of our livestock, market access, and the future of our industry.
"CFIA's announcement marks a key milestone towards our shared goal of strengthening Canada's preparedness against the threat of foot-and-mouth disease. We will continue to work with governments and stakeholders to ensure Canada has a robust emergency preparedness and prevention strategy against FMD."
Canada has been free from FMD since 1952.
David Wiens, president of the Dairy Farmers of Canada, says the announcement is a welcome and pivotal step towards enhancing existing industry defenses.
"Offering producers another critical tool to minimize the impact and return Canada back to 'FMD-free' status in the event of an outbreak. This is vital for protecting animal health and farm sustainability, contributing to a safe, reliable, and consistent food supply for Canadians."
Collaboration between Canada's federal, provincial, and territorial governments, along with stakeholders plays a key role in Canada's FMD prevention and preparedness plans.
René Roy, chair of the Canadian Pork Council says the FMD vaccine bank is an important investment in protecting Canadian livestock and livestock producers from this disease.
"The federal government's support is further proof the cooperative relationship between government and industry in Canada works for producers and processors from coast to coast. We look forward to continuing this partnership on other challenges together."