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Ecuador officially notified the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) of the stop of vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease in cattle and buffalo as of January 29, 2026, as reported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAGP) and the Agency for Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control (Agrocalidad). The goal is to obtain the declaration of the country as free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination by 2027, which is a higher status than the current status recognized by WOAH for mainland Ecuador (free with vaccination), considering that no outbreaks have been reported in the country since 2011.
The last vaccination campaign carried out in 2025 immunized more than 4 million cattle and buffalo nationwide. Its completion marks the beginning of the active surveillance period required by WOAH to validate the absence of viral circulation before granting the new sanitary recognition.
The change in status would also imply an estimated saving of USD 6 million annually, currently dedicated to vaccination cycles, and would open new access conditions for Ecuadorian livestock exports in markets that require disease-free status without vaccination.
The executive director of Agrocalidad, Danny Morales, stated that this progress reflects the country's technical capacity, the commitment of the productive sector, and the strength of the national animal health system, and emphasized that maintaining freedom from foot-and-mouth disease is shared responsibility between the state and producers.
March 11, 2026 | Ecuador | Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MAGP) | https://www.agricultura.gob.ec/category/comunicamos/noticias/
