Does your meat contain vaccinations and mRNA vaccines?Updated 9 months ago

We understand and applaud consumers' interest in how their food is produced and commit to transparency in our supply chains. Currently, much misinformation is being circulated about cattle vaccinations. Farmers use vaccinations to protect their animals from various diseases and zoonoses. However, contrary to rumour, there are no mandatory vaccine requirements for livestock in Australia, and it is unlikely there will be. Currently, none of our livestock producers are vaccinating their stock with mRNA vaccines. 

The increased interest in cattle vaccines stems from Meat and Livestock Australia's recent commitments to developing an mRNA vaccine against Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) and Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). These exotic diseases, which are on our doorstep in South East Asia, will have devastating animal welfare and trade implications if they enter Australia. Should this occur, mRNA vaccinations will be one of the key options for protecting the health and welfare of our livestock. Vaccines that use live virus material cannot be stored in Australia due to biosecurity risks, therefore, mRNA vaccines can offer a safer alternative. mRNA vaccines also have the potential for rapid development in the face of an outbreak and allow differentiation of animals that have been vaccinated from those that have been exposed to the virus. 

Additionally, beef producers for Dirty Clean Foods have a low risk of exposure to LSD as the disease is unlikely to survive the environmental conditions in the south of Western Australia. 

For further information on mRNA vaccines and LSD:

Livestock and mRNA Vaccines: What You Need To Know, 9 April 2023

MLA funds mRNA technology project to rapidly produce emergency animal disease vaccines, 02 May 2023

AP News Fact Check Australia hasn’t announced ‘mass injections’ of mRNA vaccines for livestock, 24 June 2023

For more information on common non mRNA vaccines used in beef cattle and sheep to protect animal welfare and human health:  MLA Vaccine Research & Development