September 16, 2010

Japan's farm ministry calls for stricter battle against FMD

A farm ministry panel reported Wednesday (Sep 15) for greater state authority in combating the spread of FMD after an epidemic among cows and pigs hit Miyazaki Prefecture earlier this year.

The review committee of the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry recommended that the state dispatch emergency support units to affected areas and be guaranteed compulsory inspection rights to better grasp the extent of outbreaks.

In the latest outbreak in Miyazaki, the disease is believed to have spread more extensively and done greater damage to livestock because of the slow initial response of the prefectural government.

Based on the recommendations, the ministry plans to submit a bill to the regular Diet session next year to revise a law for the control of infectious diseases in domestic animals, ministry officials said.

In its report, the panel also pointed to a lack of coordination between the state and the prefectural government during the outbreak in Miyazaki, criticizing the latter for not grasping its role fully as seen by its failure to take sufficient preventive measures.

The prefectural government has also set up an examination panel on the issue and may counter the ministry's report by presenting its own research findings.

FMD first hit Miyazaki in late April. About 290,000 cows and pigs were destroyed before the prefecture declared the end of the outbreak in late August. Miyazaki is the second-largest producer of cows and pigs for food in terms of shipment value.