Milk industry at significant risk

South Africa’s dairy industry is facing mounting pressure as foot and mouth disease (FMD) containment measures begin to spill over into export restrictions on dairy products that industry players insist are scientifically safe. Food producer Clover SA has warned that inconsistent and non-standardised FMD eradication measures applied across provinces are creating regulatory confusion and effectively blocking export markets. The company argues that while FMD is rightly treated as a national disaster requiring strong containment, the current approach is conflating animal disease control with dairy processing standards, two issues governed by different scientific criteria. Jacques van Heerden, an Executive Industrial at Clover helps listeners understand the disconnect between disease control and dairy processing standards.