No, not that FMD but Foot & Mouth Disease. We face the distinct possibility of all becoming vegetarians or vegans, well, maybe the odd chook....
"Australians have been warned of essential items vanishing from supermarket shelves as the nation is on a knife’s edge over a worrying virus.
As farmers wait on a knife’s edge to see if efforts to stop foot and mouth disease (FMD) from entering the country are successful, Australians have warned of the devastating havoc the disease could wreak if it gets here.
CEO of independent farming systems group, Riverine Plains, Catherine Marriott, says the looming threat has farmers and producers in a panic and that an outbreak could change the way Australian households shop and eat.
“You won’t be able to get milk, butter, cheese, yoghurt – all of that goes,” she told news.com.au.
“You wouldn’t be able to buy it and prices would go through the roof. If people think meat and dairy is expensive now … brace yourself.”
While FMD is relatively harmless to humans, it can have devastating effects on livestock and cloven-hoofed animals including cattle, pigs, buffalo, sheep, goats and deer. The highly contagious condition results in blisters that rots off the mouths and feet of infected animals.
As farmers wait on a knife’s edge to see if efforts to stop foot and mouth disease (FMD) from entering the country are successful, Australians have warned of the devastating havoc the disease could wreak if it gets here.
CEO of independent farming systems group, Riverine Plains, Catherine Marriott, says the looming threat has farmers and producers in a panic and that an outbreak could change the way Australian households shop and eat.
“You won’t be able to get milk, butter, cheese, yoghurt – all of that goes,” she told news.com.au.
“You wouldn’t be able to buy it and prices would go through the roof. If people think meat and dairy is expensive now … brace yourself.”
While FMD is relatively harmless to humans, it can have devastating effects on livestock and cloven-hoofed animals including cattle, pigs, buffalo, sheep, goats and deer. The highly contagious condition results in blisters that rots off the mouths and feet of infected animals.
Should Australia experience a FMD outbreak, supermarket meat sections could be left empty.
Should Australia experience a FMD outbreak, supermarket meat sections could be left empty.
While politicians say an FMD outbreak could cause a $80 billion hit to Australia’s economy, domestically, it would also cause “very, very real” supply chain issues, says Ms Marriott. Depending on the extent of the FMD outbreak, Australia would need to look at importing our beef, lamb and dairy products.
“Where do you fill that hole from? You just can’t,” says Ms Marriott.
“It’s a multifaceted challenge. People won’t be able to get meat, you’ve got an animal welfare nightmare and there’s not enough trained vets in Australia to deal with it.
“Australian families, eating and enjoying safe healthy Australian meat could be challenged significantly.”...
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/eat/food-and-mouth-disease-australia-aust...If it happened, a lot of restaurants would go out of business, hell. Macca's might up and leave. BUT you'd probably find a huge improvement in the health of the population. Drug companies, doctors, pharmacists might start to sweat beads..
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