The Council of Agriculture (COA) on Monday said that it would apply for Taiwan proper, Penghu and Matsu to be recognized by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as foot-and-mouth disease-free zones, with Kinmen excluded due to an outbreak of the disease this year.
There have been no cases of foot-and-mouth reported on Taiwan proper, Penghu or Matsu since May 2013, and the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine seeks to have the OIE designate those areas as disease-free zones where vaccination is practiced.
However, Kinmen is to be excluded from the bureau’s application, as 275 cows on three ranches in the county’s Jinning Township (金寧) were culled after testing positive for “type A” foot-and-mouth disease in May, the bureau said.
The bureau in May issued a ban on the transport of raw and processed meat of even-toed hoofed animals from the outlying municipality, including pork, beef and mutton, as well as venison and intestines, but later deregulated heated processed meat products.
The ban on Kinmen raw meat products would be lifted if all the 57 ranches in the county test negative for food-and-mouth disease, and if the OIE approves the epidemic prevention control measures of the county government, the bureau said.
The bureau said it would advise Kinmen on epidemic controls to ensure that the county is included in future applications.
Brushing off the accusations of some academics that the designation of the nation as a disease-free zone is meaningless, the bureau said it would boost importers’ confidence and help exports of processed meat products.
The bureau called on ranches with even-toed ungulates to limit vehicles entering and leaving their facilities, adding that all vehicles granted access should be thoroughly disinfected before entering and leaving.
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