Foot-and-Mouth Disease: USDA's Efforts to Prepare for a Potential Outbreak Could Be Strengthened

March 20, 2019 — 

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious livestock disease. Since 2001, outbreaks abroad have cost billions of dollars. A U.S. outbreak would likely halt exports of all livestock products, and could have serious economic consequences. [Source: GAO Report- Office of Public Affairs 12 March 2019]

USDA has learned lessons from abroad, conducted outbreak exercises, and identified the need for additional preparedness improvements, such as a better process for allocating its limited vaccine supply. However, it has not followed its procedures for prioritizing improvements and many remain incomplete.

We recommended that USDA prioritize and monitor these improvements.

Full text of 60-page report: https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/697467.pdf

Full text of highlights: http://tinyurl.com/y624cb4a