About the Author: Robert Raines serves as Acting Spokesperson at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.

The United States and Pakistan are working together to fight foot and mouth disease, which is estimated to cause $82 million in economic damage to rural Pakistani families every year. The United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA), in partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the Government of Pakistan, is supporting this effort with a comprehensive $9 million dollar program to provide training and equipment to researchers, veterinarians, and epidemiologists throughout Pakistan.

“Foot and mouth disease causes significant damage to the Pakistani livestock population and to the farmers who depend on them for their livelihood,” said David Wolf, Senior Agriculture Attache at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. “This training will allow Pakistani scientists to use the latest technologies and treatments to fight against this disease all around… more »