Farmers Gather in Ermelo as FMD Crisis Deepens

Written on March 2, 2026

Gideon Muteb

Amid growing concern in the agricultural sector over the escalating Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak — recently declared a national disaster in South Africa — Agri Mpumalanga brought together farmers, producers, veterinarians and key role players from across the region to equip the sector with practical, credible information as the situation continues to evolve.

The conference, held on 18 February at the auditorium of Hoërskool Ermelo, was led by Lion du Plessis, president of Agri Mpumalanga, who opened proceedings by welcoming and thanking attendees for making time to engage with what he described as a shared crisis.

Du Plessis emphasised the importance of organised agriculture and active participation from everyone during a time like this.

Farmers Gather in Ermelo as FMD Crisis Deepens

Image: President of Agri Mpumalanga - Lion du Plessis

Be involved at your farmers associations. Be involved in organisations because it is these organisation's representatives who have been elected by our farmers and who have our best interests at heart. The moment you start to doubt whether these representatives have your best interests at heart, then you should take the opportunity to find the right person that represents your best interests, he said.

Introducing the central theme of the day: “What must we know and do as farmers moving forward,” he welcomed the first speaker, Dr. Ben du Plessis from the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture. Doctor Du Plessis provided a technical overview of Foot-and-Mouth Disease. His presentation covered the nature of the disease, the current FMD status in South Africa, controlled zones and affected areas, early detection and reporting, outbreak trends since 2019, outbreak management, and biosecurity measures.

Image: Dr. Ben du Plessis from the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture

One of the key issues highlighted by Dr. Du Plessis was the growing spread of misinformation. He cautioned farmers against fake news and so-called treatments circulating on social media, online platforms, television and even boeredag. He urged producers to apply common sense and to verify the source of information before acting on it.

There are so many stories circulating, many of which are money-making stories and others just for sensation, he said.

Image: Large-animal veterinarian from Endumeni Herd Health Practice - Dr. Jacquelynn Marais

The second speaker, Dr. Jacquelynn Marais, a large-animal veterinarian from Endumeni Herd Health Practice, addressed the realities faced by veterinarians and farmers at ground level. She spoke frankly about the widespread nature of FMD and the likelihood of further outbreaks, stressing that denial would only leave producers unprepared. According to Dr. Marais, farmers are dealing with multiple strains of the disease, each affecting animals differently, making management and control increasingly complex.

A key focus of Dr. Marais’ presentation was what farmers can do to limit the spread of FMD. She highlighted restricting access to farms, educating farm workers about the disease, and maintaining clear communication between neighbouring farmers. Docter Marais also noted that while knowledge around FMD is growing, much remains unknown and that ongoing research is critical. She urged farmers to stay informed through reliable channels and to act quickly if cases are suspected.

If FMD arrives in your district, don’t panic,” she said. “Open channels of communication, inform neighbouring farmers, involve the state, farmer associations and veterinarians. We need to communicate so that we can deal with this together, she said

This article reflects the opening session and first two presentations of the conference.

Stay tuned on iNews for Part 2.

To watch the full recording of the conference, Click Here