DA bans Slovak animal products amid FMD threat

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has temporarily banned the importation of animals and animal products from Slovakia following confirmed cases of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in domestic cattle in the European country.

In a statement on Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., through Memorandum Order No. 21, prohibited the entry of live swine, bovines, and water buffaloes, as well as products such as semen, skeletal muscle meat, casings, tallow, hooves, and horns.

The measure comes after Slovak veterinary authorities reported the outbreak to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) on 2 March 2025. While WOAH continues to classify the Philippines as an FMD-free country, Secretary Tiu Laurel stressed that the ban is a precautionary step to safeguard the local livestock industry. The virus poses a serious threat to animals such as swine and ruminants, including cows, carabaos, and goats.

The DA clarified that the importation of specific animal products from Slovakia will still be allowed. These include:

• Ultra-high-temperature (UHT) milk and its derivatives

• Heat-treated meat products in hermetically sealed containers

• Protein meals and gelatin

• In vivo-derived bovine embryos

• Limed hides, pickled pelts, and semi-processed leather

“Shipments that were already in transit, loaded, or accepted into port before the official communication of the order to Slovak authorities will be allowed entry, provided that the products were slaughtered or produced on or before 6 March, and have been tested negative for FMD upon arrival at the port of entry,” the DA said.

The Department has likewise suspended the processing, evaluation, and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances for all affected animal products from Slovakia.