FMD Vaccination Row Deepens as Farming Lobbyist Questions Government Pricing
Warwick Grey
– March 7, 2026
3 min read
A public dispute has erupted between Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen and Theo de Jager, chair of the Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI), over the cost of South Africa's foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines. What began as criticism of the government's vaccine rollout has rapidly escalated, with Steenhuisen accusing De Jager of spreading misinformation.
The conflict ignited after De Jager responded on social media to a report from African Farming, an agricultural news site, quoting Steenhuisen as saying, "Contrary to the fake news that says the vaccine is R300 a dose, the Biogénesis Bagó [vaccine from Argentina] is less than R80 a dose, and the Dollvet [vaccine from Turkey] is less than R60 a dose. These aren't huge amounts to talk about, and you only need one to two doses per annum."
De Jager countered by stating that the actual cost of the vaccines, without the government's intervention, would have been around R45 per shot. He further pointed out that the R300 figure had been mentioned in a Department of Agriculture statement from December 2025.
A few hours after that post, Steenhuisen responded on X, saying:
"I see the mischief maker in chief is up to his usual disinformation tactics on the price of FMD vaccines. He takes the unit price but then 'conveniently' excludes the freight, delivery, taxes, clearing, and distribution charges that any importer would have to pay. Government is sourcing vaccines at the best available price and is paying for and distributing them in line with our strategy. Fake news does not assist in combatting a disease outbreak, don't get your news from fraudsters!”
The aggressive response from Steenhuisen has added fuel to the already strained relationship between the government and the agricultural sector. His combative style has alienated many in the farming community, particularly those who feel their concerns are dismissed rather than addressed with constructive dialogue.
Perhaps Steenhuisen's most wild attack on South Africa’s farmers came when he alleged that they might exploit vaccines, if they were able to privately procure them, to create biological weapons. Such allegations have been widely criticised as inflammatory and without basis.
For the Democratic Alliance (DA), Steenhuisen’s mishandling of the crisis and his attacks on farmers has become an internal political crisis that threatens to curb its support. The party has already moved to ensure that Steenhuisen does not again stand for party leader. The government, and President Cyril Ramaphosa, have also grown concerned at Steenhuisen’s behaviour and the alienation of farmers, with Ramaphosa appointing Wandile Sihlobo as a special government envoy to build relations with the farming sector. No other department has such an envoy.
