The second FMD-suspected company in Germany that was cleared this week has tested negative for the presence of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). This was confirmed by the German Minister of Agriculture (Cem Özdemir) on Friday morning. The concerning goat farm was already cleared this week as a precaution.
This leaves the current case of the infectious animal disease at 1. Özdemir indicates that this does not mean that Germany is FMD-free, but that it does mean that the virus does not seem to have spread any further.
Last week, for the first time in 35 years, FMD was detected on a farm with water buffalo. The sector is immediately noticing the consequences in the form of imposed trade bans and price drops on the German dairy and meat markets. The hope is that the outbreak will remain limited. This could ensure more calm on the markets.
The German state of Brandenburg lifted its measures to combat FMD today. No evidence was found that the virus spread further after the death of three water buffalos. The export measures imposed by other countries have not yet been removed.
© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.