Beef Producers Have a Game Plan to Keep Canada FMD-Free

Jul 09, 2025

Canada’s last outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) occurred in Saskatchewan in 1952, and, since then our herds have remained free of FMD. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Canada is designated as FMD-free without vaccination. This designation is awarded to countries that do not have the FMD virus circulating among cloven-hoofed animals without regular preventative vaccines.

The 1952 outbreak was traced to a single sausage brought over by a farm worker from Germany. This seemingly harmless act of bringing a foreign food product on a flight had devastating effects on the Canadian economy, costing approximately $2 million in expenses and lost revenue at that time. If an outbreak were to occur in Canada today, it is estimated that the economic impact could soar to over $80 million.

You Are Here! Prevent and Prepare

Canada is currently able to prevent Foot and Mouth Disease from crossing our borders and to prepare for any suspected FMD cases.
The Canadian livestock industry is currently unaffected by FMD.
Beef producers must remain aware and continue to take steps to minimize risk of FMD and other diseases.
Proactive planning, training and implementing biosecurity measures is a key focus.

Suspect

If an unusual animal health event occurs, industry may be asked to remain vigilant and take precautions to minimize serious animal disease risk, which may trigger a presumptive or confirmed positive condition.

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Video: Four Star Pork Industry Conf - Back to Basics: Fundamentals drive vaccine performance

At a time when disease pressure continues to challenge pork production systems across the United States, vaccination remains one of the most valuable and heavily debated tools available to veterinarians and producers.

Speaking at the 2025 Four Star Pork Industry Conference in Muncie, Indiana, Dr. Daniel Gascho, veterinarian at Four Star Veterinary Service, encouraged the industry to return to fundamentals in how vaccines are selected, handled and administered across sow farms, gilt development units and grow-finish operations.

Gascho acknowledged at the outset that vaccination can quickly become a technical and sometimes tedious topic. But he said that real-world execution, not complex immunology, is where most vaccine failures occur.