27/03/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE by RMIS
Thursday 26 March 2026
Impending court action by private veterinary organisations threatens to further
delay the value chain’s ability to operate amid FMD response
Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) was made aware today of an impending court
action by private veterinary organisations which could impact the rollout of Foot-andMouth Disease (FMD) control measures, including vaccination.
This is expected to delay vaccination at a critical stage of the outbreak and impact
every part of the value chain — from producers, to feedlots, to abattoirs, and
ultimately the consumer. This delay will add to the pressure the value chain is
already experiencing.
Concern over actions impacting value chain operations
There is growing concern across the value chain about why private veterinarians —
working within the same value chain — would take action that slows its ability to
operate at a time like this.
This concern is further reinforced by the fact that the proposed court action now
explicitly opposes the RMIS traceability platform — a system developed by the value
chain, for the value chain, to support movement, vaccination, and the ability to
continue trading under FMD conditions. The RMIS traceability platform does not
seek to regulate or ‘police’ veterinarians. The role of RMIS is to support coordination
and provide systems that enable the value chain to function, not to replace or
override existing statutory authorities.
Further impact on value chain operations
The proposed court action argues that the cost of vaccination should be carried by
the State, rather than by producers.
While this may appear to support the value chain, it does not reflect the reality on the
ground. In practice, state-controlled supply introduces allocation and delay. The
industry is not proposing that producers must carry the cost of vaccination, but rather
that those who are willing and able to act proactively should not be prevented from
doing so when state rollout cannot move at the required speed.
For the value chain, the priority is speed and continuity. The cost of delay is often
higher than the cost of vaccination, and the value chain cannot afford to wait.
Producers would no longer be able to access vaccine directly to protect their herds,
while feedlots would equally not be able to access vaccine directly to keep their
operations functioning.
Access to vaccine is directly linked to the flow of livestock through the system.
Vaccination allows movement to resume, enabling producers to sell livestock,
relieving pressure at farm level, restoring throughput at feedlots and abattoirs, and
stabilising the flow of product into the market.
The impact extends beyond the red meat sector. Dairy producers depend on
uninterrupted animal movement and herd health to maintain milk production, while in
the pork sector, pigs act as amplifiers of FMD, making vaccination critical to limiting
further spread.
When vaccination is delayed, that flow slows across the system — placing pressure
not only on red meat producers, but on the broader livestock and food production
value chain.
Questions around representation
RMIS has also received information indicating that not all RUVASA members were
consulted prior to this action being taken.
Given the direct impact of these decisions on the ability of the value chain to operate,
this raises important questions about alignment and representation.
At a time when the industry is working to keep the system functioning, opposing
these mechanisms raises serious questions about alignment with the practical needs
of the value chain.
RMIS will continue to support efforts that enable the value chain to function and
recover as quickly as possible.
ENDS
For media enquiries contact Sara-Lea van Eeden [email protected]
