It now appears unlikely that live foot and mouth disease virus samples for research will enter Australia after it emerged this week that a high-level proposal has been with the Commonwealth Government since August that would see Australia-specific FMD research carried out in Thailand.
The proposal was developed during 2008 by the Animal Health Committee's (AHC) FMD Vulnerabilities Working Party.
The project – to be based in Thailand – will also draw on science from around the world and is a direct response to last year's catastrophic FMD outbreak in Britain and an earlier outbreak in 2001.
The AHC is made up of the chief veterinary officer of Australia and the chief vets of each state.
The import of live FMD virus samples erupted as a major issue in Australia following the release of the Beale Review in September which recommended live FMD virus be allowed to enter Australia for research at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong.
AHC's FMD Vulnerabilities Working Party member John Stewart said funding of $5 million over five years was required.
"What is being proposed for Thailand is defined research that will fill in the gaps in Australian knowledge which will mean we are much better prepared to deal with FMD," Mr Stewart said.
"Instead of all this argument about live FMD virus entering Australia, there should be pressure placed on the Commonwealth Government to fund this off-shore research project."
The issue has placed the scientific community on the defensive, with it maintaining it did not recommend the import of live FMD virus.
CSIRO Livestock Industries chief Dr Alan Bell said CSIRO presently had no plans to seek Government permission to import live foot and mouth virus for research purposes, nor did its submission to the Beale review advocate such a course of action.
Dr Bell said consistent with this position, AAHL scientists were actively involved in off-shore research on foot and mouth disease in several countries in which the disease is endemic, he said.
However, Dr Bell said the import of positive control samples (including the foot and mouth disease virus) as recommended in the Beale Review concurred with the long-held and publicly expressed opinion of expert scientists at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL), which is managed by the CSIRO Division of Livestock Industries.
"I wish to reassure our industry stakeholders that CSIRO recognises their legitimate concerns about importing the live virus," Dr Bell said.
"Even if circumstances changed, CSIRO would not seek approval to import live foot and mouth disease virus without working with Government and undertaking wide consultation with the livestock industries and other concerned parties."
Queensland Cattle Council president Greg Brown said the cattle industry would not contemplate the importation of live FMD virus under any circumstance or for any purpose.
"However, CCA is totally supportive of Australia-specific FMD research being carried out in countries where the disease is already endemic," Mr Brown said.
"Research in Thailand appears to be a great outcome for beef producers.
"CCA certainly encourages the Federal Government to now develop the necessary funding arrangements."
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