Pretoria, 15 May 2026 — Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) welcomes the commitments made by Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen in the 2026/27 Agriculture Budget Vote tabled in Parliament today. This commitment to biosecurity as a national economic priority, and to FMD as a long-term focus rather than a short-term crisis response, protects the jobs, livelihoods and export earnings that the red meat value chain delivers. 

“What stands out in this Budget Vote is the clarity of direction,” said Dewald Olivier, CEO of RMIS. “The Minister has put biosecurity at the centre of the national economic agenda, with an explicit link to trade. The funding for FMD, the expansion of local vaccine production, and the focus on compliance systems all protect what the value chain depends on most.” 

A Sustained Commitment, Not a Short-Term Response 

The funding commitment for biosecurity, alongside the institutional restructuring positioning it within a dedicated branch in the Department’s new organisational model, demonstrates that biosecurity is a sustained national priority. 

A Direct Link to Trade and Growth 

Agricultural exports reached R268.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 alone, and the broader value chain supports close to 950,000 jobs. The Budget Vote makes the link between biosecurity and that economic footprint explicit. For red meat, this is what makes growth possible: market access at home and for export depends on disease control standards that meet what trading partners require. 

A Systems Approach to Resilience 

The Budget sets out a clear systems approach. Traceability, compliance, extension services and digital tools are being brought together rather than developed in isolation. RMIS welcomes this direction, which aligns with the practical work the red meat value chain has been doing to link traceability, vaccination support and data systems. 

RMIS will continue to work across the value chain to bring these commitments into practical operation