Nicosia, Cyprus. A newly formed association of livestock farmers has called for an immediate meeting with the president to press for changes in the handling of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.
New group formed with 95 members
The association, operating under the name “The Voice of Livestock Breeders”, was announced on Wednesday. Spokesperson Stella Petrou said the group was established on Tuesday evening and has around 95 members.
The association said it aims to present “the serious issues that have arisen in the sector”, with emphasis on disease management and the impact of current containment measures.
Calls for vaccination strategy and protection of rare breeds
Among its core demands is the introduction of “an emergency vaccination strategy, where scientifically feasible, instead of the immediate killing of all animals”.
It is also calling for “the exception and special protection of local and rare breeds”, describing them as “invaluable genetic wealth for Cyprus”.
Industry warns outbreak could take years
The request comes as industry representatives warned the outbreak could take years to resolve.
The head of the pig farmers’ association said the country faces “a very long road” before it can be declared free of the virus, estimating that “in the best-case scenario, we still have 4–5 years ahead of us”.
New cases reported as culling continues
Veterinary authorities said new infections continue to emerge, with three additional cases recently detected in goat and sheep units in Athienou, bringing the total number of affected units to 108.
Officials attributed the rise partly to “intensive sampling” and said culling operations remain ongoing in affected districts.
Procedural changes sought for testing and verification
The association is seeking procedural changes including “the establishment of a mandatory second laboratory test before any decision to kill” and the possibility of independent verification of results.
What changes, if any, do you think should be made to Cyprus’s current approach to managing the FMD outbreak?
