Argentine Beef - Foot-and-mouth Disease Crisis

Foot-and-mouth Disease Crisis

Argentina's cattle industry had become a key growth driver in the economy, with Argentina ranking fourth in cow meat exports. As such, it was crushing news when, in 2001, for the first time in 60 years, new cases of foot-and-mouth diseases (FMD) were found. Although FMD is usually harmless to people, the virus is easily spread between animals, making the slaughter of sick animals needful. Argentine beef was banned by more than 60 countries, including the United States and Canada.

After an aggressive vaccination programme, the OIE (Office International des Epizooties) said in 2003 that Argentina had regained "foot-and-mouth free with vaccination" status. A few years later, new cases of FMD were discovered in a herd of cattle in a northern province of Argentina. As a result, Chile banned the import of Argentine meat.