Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Information

Countries dealing with recent or on-going outbreaks that have reported notifications or follow-up reports to OIE in the past six months include: Algeria, Botswana, Indonesia, Israel, Libya, Malawi, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Palestine, People’s Republic of China, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Note: there are additional countries where FMD is endemic, but they may not be tracked via OIE’s World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) reports.

Globally, the FMD situation changes quickly – for the most current information visit OIE/World Animal Health Information System. A list of the OIE FMD-free member countries can be found here. The USDA also evaluates FMD-status for trade purposes; their list of recognized FMD-free countries/regions can be found here.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) work cooperatively to safeguard our food supply and the California agricultural industry. State and federal programs closely monitor and regulate the movement of livestock and animal products. Despite these efforts, the risk of disease introduction is always present. Viruses, bacteria and pests do not respect borders and are capable of entering on imported animals, meat and meat products, travelers’ clothing and shoes, equipment, and other contaminated objects.

Annually, California is host to many visitors who may be traveling from countries where FMD is endemic or currently dealing with FMD outbreaks; some of these visitors request farm tours. Livestock producers should take appropriate precautions for farm tours with international visitors, especially those coming from countries experiencing FMD. Additionally, anyone involved in animal agriculture planning international travel should check the FMD status of the countries to be visited, especially if visiting farms or areas with livestock. Be aware of measures in place for travelers to reduce the disease transmission risk to the United States and of personal precautions to take when you travel internationally. Visit the CDFA biosecurity web page, or see the Traveler Info resources on this page, for more information on biosecurity measures for producers and travelers.

Quick Tips for Travelers:

• Always declare on the Customs form if you have been on a farm or in contact with livestock; and always declare the presence of any meat or dairy product
• If you have visited farms in a country affected with foot and mouth disease (FMD), avoid contact with livestock for at least five (5) days after arrival in the U.S.
• If traveling from to a country affected with FMD, carefully wash and disinfect all clothing and shoes upon return to the U.S.

Quick Tips for Livestock Owners:

• Monitor visitors to your facility (for example, using visitor logs and questionnaires). Keep clean protective clothing and footwear available. Require visitors to wear these items and thoroughly wash their hands prior to entering a livestock facility.
• Do not allow meat, animal products, or food waste from FMD-infected countries to enter your facilities.
• Do not permit clothing, shoes or other articles (such as luggage, cameras, jewelry, and watches) that have been in FMD-affected countries to enter livestock facilities.
• Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling animals. This is especially important between groups of animals from different facilities.
• Always clean and disinfect equipment used at different facilities.
• Discourage close contact or handling of animals by visitors.