Signal 1.3 billion livelihoods depend on livestock; 40% of agricultural value

Summary

The report explains the burden of animal disease on the economy and food security by pointing to the scale of the livestock sector. More than 1.3 billion people around the world depend on livestock to make a living. Production animals make up 40% of the value of global agriculture. The report says animal disease can be economically devastating, recording that the UK's 2001 foot and mouth outbreak cost more than 8 billion pounds in total. It also sees trade and agriculture as vulnerable to outbreaks that could cause economic losses and food shortages, and expects disease threats to biodiversity and farming to hit rural areas hardest.