Lebanon’s silent livestock catastrophe

Nidaa al Watan

Lebanon’s livestock sector is in distress, and cattle breeders say they are facing a “major disaster.” For more than a month, foot-and-mouth disease has been spreading across farms, showing up in animals’ mouths, hooves and feet and, more dangerously, in udders and teats. Large numbers of cattle have lost their appetite, milk production has dropped sharply, and young calves have died.

These losses are being driven by a “new strain” of the virus, the SAT1 variant, which was previously confined to Africa but has since evolved into a global epidemic. Its severity and rapid spread now pose a serious threat to livestock, both regionally and inside Lebanon.

Infection through uncontrolled borders?

On Dec. 7, the Ministry of Agriculture officially announced that it had detected cases of foot-and-mouth disease in Lebanon. The declaration came after months of a regional crisis that caused heavy losses among cattle breeders in Iraq’s Nineveh province, then Baghdad, before spreading to Egypt, Turkey and Jordan.

There has been silence regarding whether the strain has also reached Syria — a country Lebanese authorities suspect to be the source of Lebanon’s outbreak, via illegal border crossings.

Warnings that remained ink on paper

The Ministry of Agriculture had identified the risk of infection as early as April, issuing a strongly worded warning urging breeders to strengthen biosecurity and tighten preventive measures. At the time, however, the warning appeared closer to a procedural gesture than a concrete response plan.

No national vaccination campaign was launched. Vaccines matching the newly circulating strains were not secured. Oversight of livestock movement was not activated. The official immunization program remained unchanged, even as local laboratories warned of emerging strains not covered by the vaccines available in Lebanon.

During those months, borders remained open to smuggling, while cattle imports continued, including shipments from countries already affected by the virus.

A catastrophe affecting 60 percent of Lebanon’s cattle

When the virus entered Lebanon, the Ministry of Agriculture initially refrained from announcing it, citing concerns about protecting the reputation of the Lebanese herd. But as the outbreak spread across farms, secrecy became neither possible nor useful.

In a later statement, the ministry acknowledged the presence of a “new strain in the region,” identified infected hotspots, spoke of vaccinations for existing strains, announced investigations into smuggling, and confirmed that samples had been sent to international laboratories. All of this, however, came too late.

The virus had already spread, farmers were suffering heavy losses, and the economic value of infected herds had collapsed.

Who is responsible?

Dr. Khair Jarrah, a member of the Higher Agricultural Council, described the situation as a “catastrophe,” noting that between 60 and 70 percent of cattle are currently infected. Milk production has fallen by 50 percent, with the risk of further spread still looming.

Why was there such a delay in launching vaccination programs? And who bears responsibility?

Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani addressed these questions during a meeting with cattle breeders in Ghazza, in the western Bekaa, one of the first and hardest-hit towns since the outbreak began. Facing farmers’ anger amid what he himself called a “disaster,” Hani said: “The ministry is the primary body responsible for this sector and all agricultural sectors.”

This did not amount to an admission of delayed action. “The ministry is not asleep,” he said, stressing that the epidemic is global and that vaccine producers worldwide are under pressure. Lebanon, he added, was not a priority for manufacturers because it had not previously been infected.

During the meeting, it was revealed that the ministry had launched a tender to procure vaccines in August, with plans to distribute them free of charge to farmers once they arrive.

Vaccines matching the Lebanese strain will not arrive before the new year

Hani was unable to offer firm reassurance. Vaccines matching the strain affecting Lebanese cattle are not expected before the start of next year. Until then, farmers fortunate enough to receive SAT1 vaccines, expected to arrive this week from other infected countries in quantities not exceeding 100,000 doses, can only hope that Lebanon’s strain matches those of the exporting countries. Otherwise, the complications could be worse than the infection itself.

The ministry has facilitated the import of vaccines even from previously unapproved sources, including Turkey and Argentina. However, Hani stressed that these vaccines “do not benefit herds already infected,” which instead require containment and proper management to reduce damage.

In times of crisis, Hani said, stakeholders must unite. The ministry and breeders are not opposing sides but one party. Vaccination alone will not be a magic solution, and exceptional measures are needed to protect the remaining uninfected herds.

A disaster for farmers while factories show no mercy

Discussions during the meeting did not downplay the scale of losses. Some were immediate, others long-term. Herds already weakened by the virus were reinfected with viral mastitis, a development Dr. Jarrah described as “catastrophic.”

The disease’s impact is primarily economic, with assurances that it does not transmit to humans. Jarrah said losses exceed $3,000 per cow, excluding feed costs of $200 to $300.

One farmer recounted purchasing 250 dairy cows on Oct. 31, all of which are now infected. Milk production collapsed from four tons to just 800 kilograms, while daily medication costs reached $1,000. If the cows do not survive, losses could reach $400,000, before a single vaccine has arrived.

The decline in milk production also threatens consumers, though factories have not raised prices. Instead, they reduced the price paid to farmers from 70 cents per kilogram to 67 cents, raising further questions about alternative milk sources sustaining production.

Lost trust in the ministry

Beyond the immediate losses, the crisis has exposed a deep lack of trust among farmers in what the state can offer. Many no longer believe the ministry can confront the epidemic or share its burden.

Some accused ministry staff of negligence and poor decision-making, particularly the decision to import cattle from Egypt. One farmer asked why Lebanon shifted away from imports from Europe and Brazil to Egypt in June, when the virus had already appeared there.

Another compared the disaster to the Aug. 4 Beirut port explosion, saying its impact on farmers mirrors what Lebanon endured as a whole. He also questioned how poor-quality imported feed entered the country at all.

Farmers say they no longer want promises, only results. They called for protection against powdered milk dumping, hydrogenated oils and smuggled milk.

Smugglers referred to the public prosecutor

Despite questions about Egyptian shipments, the Ministry of Agriculture considers them an unlikely source of infection. Hani and the head of the livestock department explained that Egypt serves as a quarantine station for cattle arriving from Africa before they enter Lebanon.

Hani reiterated that the infection entered Lebanon through illegal crossings, saying he had referred a long list of smugglers to the public prosecutor. He expressed readiness to halt cattle imports if necessary, while allowing the sole vaccine importer to explain delays caused by global demand and Lebanon’s low priority before infection was confirmed.

Asked why Syria obtained 1.6 million vaccine doses without acknowledging an outbreak, Hani responded that vaccines not tailored to the specific strain could be ineffective or harmful. Identifying strains, he said, requires internationally accredited laboratories and first requires acknowledging the virus’s presence.

A roadmap out of the crisis

The meeting made clear that the scale of the disaster exceeds what promises can fix. Hani pledged to make the issue a Cabinet priority, noting that solutions require coordination among farmers, civil society, municipalities, and security and judicial authorities. Statements without follow-up, he admitted, would remain “ink on paper.”

He outlined a roadmap centered on preventive measures by breeders and veterinarians, while the ministry works to secure vaccines matching the Lebanese strain. He also promised to avoid risky cattle imports while maintaining market balance, noting that existing herds can supply Lebanon with meat and milk for two months.

On compensation, Hani made no promises from the “bankrupt” state treasury but urged farmers to document losses for potential donor support.

Acknowledging the sector’s fragmented reality, Hani said the ministry is pushing to make agriculture a national economic priority, raising the question of whether this approach will first succeed in containing foot-and-mouth disease, despite earlier failures in prevention.