AMA draws attention to the need for vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease in municipalities.

The vice-president of the Association of Municipalities of Alagoas (AMA), mayor Jeane Moura, drew the attention of mayors and agriculture secretaries to the need for urgent actions that collaborate to guarantee the vaccination of livestock. The Alagoas Agricultural Defense and Inspection Agency (Adeal) brought forward the first stage of the vaccination campaign against foot-and-mouth disease for cattle and buffaloes to this month of April, following the determination of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa).

Vaccination should be completed by the 30th, with no prospect of extension. The declaration must be made by the creator at Adeal, by May 15th. The decision, which responds to a request from the Government of Alagoas and the entities that represent the state’s productive sector, allows Alagoas to move forward together with the other states that have already received authorization from Mapa to migrate to the foot-and-mouth disease-free zone without vaccination in 2025.

If vaccination deadlines and targets are not met, Alagoas and municipalities may be penalized with sanitary barriers making it impossible to maintain the free movement of animals, which will directly impact the economy.

Present at this Monday’s AMA meeting, the mayor of Pão de Açúcar, Jorge Dantas, said that the moment is serious and classified the actions as a “war effort to help mainly small producers. Not only livestock farmers will suffer, but the entire related chain”, emphasized the mayor. Also participating were the state secretary of Agriculture, Aline Rodrigues, the president of Faeal, Álvaro Almeida, of the Breeders’ Association, Domício Silva, superintendent of the Ministry of Agriculture in Alagoas, Jorge Marques and of Adeal, Marco Albuquerque.

This is the only chance that Alagoas has, before 2026, to join the list of States that are already in a more advanced situation with regard to foot-and-mouth disease. It will only take 15 days to complete the vaccination and all the bodies involved such as Seagri, Adeal, Mapa, Faeal and the Breeders Association are united and highlighted the partnership with the AMA, due to its reach, as fundamental at this moment.

With the anticipation of the first stage of vaccination, Adeal reinforces that registered agricultural product resale stores have a sufficient stock of vaccines to meet the demand of breeders across the state.

AMA will help publicize the dates with the municipalities, showing mayors, mayors and secretaries the need to involve the largest number of people within the city who can be multiplier agents, such as lottery operators, community health agents, local radio stations and associations.

Given the urgency, Adeal also advises the breeder to make the declaration as soon as possible via the internet, on the agency’s website or at the Breeder’s Service Offices (EAC), in addition to the Local Animal and Plant Health Units (ULSAV). The agriculture departments are also making employees available to help people who do not have access to the internet.

The Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock, Aline Rodrigues, says that “this is a joint effort to reach the foot-and-mouth disease-free zone without vaccination, following the strategies agreed with the Ministry of Agriculture. The achievement of the new health status will have a direct impact on strengthening the production chain and, above all, on the sector’s commercial relations, since agriculture in Alagoas is very important for the growth of our GDP”, added the secretary.

With information from Ascom Adeal