This recognition brings reliability to the animal product from Minas Gerais, as a region that values the animal health of its herd, which values the state’s production. Furthermore, it generates savings for the producer, who no longer needs to spend on immunizations and hiring specialized personnel to administer the vaccine. International recognition, granted by the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO), is a positive confirmation for foreign markets, which gives producers the possibility of expanding their business, since many countries require that products of animal origin be from areas free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination to allow importation. Another positive point is the competitive advantage in relation to other producers who still face health restrictions. International recognition can also attract more investment to the state, as investors tend to prefer regions with a solid and stable health status. The expectation is that Minas Gerais will achieve the status of free from foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination granted by Omsa in 2025.
Other news – The Ordinance prohibits the storage, sale and use of vaccines against the disease in the state, in addition to the entry and incorporation of animals vaccinated against the disease in Minas Gerais territory. The document also regulates the transport of animals destined for other Federation Units with transit through the states and regions of the country that still vaccinate against the disease, determining that the route used is defined by the Official Veterinary Service (SVO) which, in Minas Gerais, is the IMA. The exception to this rule occurs when animals are destined for slaughter, but must travel in vehicles sealed by the SVO or by a veterinarian authorized by the SVO to issue an Animal Transit Guide (GTA). Another exception is the case of animals intended for export, as long as they are sent directly to a pre-shipment establishment authorized by the SVO. Another novelty brought by the new legislation is the prohibition of the entry and incorporation of cattle and buffaloes from states with Mapa recognition to states that have Omsa recognition. This means that the states of Santa Catarina, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Acre, Rondônia and part of Amazonas and Mato Grosso cannot receive animals from Minas Gerais or states with the same health status.
Free from vaccination, but with annual update – One of the requirements for the international claim to be free from foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination is the annual update of data on the state’s herds, therefore, since 2023, IMA encourages producers to communicate the numbers to the agency updates of their productions. The participation of Minas Gerais producers in the herd update campaign, which takes place from May 1st to June 30th, is mandatory and, in addition to reporting the numbers of cattle and buffalo herds, IMA also calls on producers of chickens, horses, fish, bees, sheep and goats to report their data to the agency. Herds can be updated online, via the Producer Portal, accessed via the IMA website. Those who do not yet have a registration on the portal can apply digitally or at one of the municipality’s units spread across the state of Minas Gerais. There are no costs for this service. Those who do not comply with the requirement are prevented from issuing the Animal Transit Guide (GTA), essential for the transport of production animals, and are also unable to issue the Animal Health Record, a document that proves the status of rural producer and provides data of your squad. When updating the numbers of their herds, the producer can also declare to the IMA the vaccination of cattle, buffaloes, horses, goats and sheep against herbivore rabies, essential to protect animals against the disease that has no cure.
Minas Gerais livestock exports – According to data from the report Perfil do Agronegócio Mineiro, from March 2024, by Seapa, Minas Gerais was responsible for just over 9% of Brazilian beef exports, moving almost US$ 1 million in 2023. Ten years ago , in 2013, the state exported the equivalent of US$430 million, which represented almost 6.5% of national exports, an increase of more than one hundred percent in state sales. Still according to the publication, the Minas Gerais cattle herd is made up of 23 million heads, according to 2022 data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (Ibge), being the fourth largest producer in Brazil. In January 2024 alone, according to data from the Trade Balance published by Seapa, Minas Gerais exported the equivalent of US$80,000, almost 19 tons of beef, at just over US$4,000 per ton.
Source: State Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Seapa)
