Uruguay presents its animal health model, based on public-private partnership, to WOAH

Uruguay presented its public-private partnership model for financing animal health measures in livestock production at the 93rd General Session of the World Assembly of Delegates of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), held in Paris from May 18 to 22, 2026. The presentation, delivered by Marcelo Rodríguez, Director General of Livestock Services at the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries (MGAP), highlighted a mechanism that the country has been implementing since 2014 and is now considering extending to the swine and poultry sectors.

The Uruguayan system, established following a consultation process with the private sector and approved by Parliament, is operated by an administrative commission with equal representation from public and private stakeholders. Its resources fund epidemiological surveillance, on-farm inspections, laboratory testing, vaccination, and compensation for producers who must cull animals for health reasons, with a primary focus on controlling bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis.

The funding comes from levies on cattle subsidies, live cattle exports, and the dairy industry. Rodríguez noted that Uruguay is currently evaluating the introduction of new levy mechanisms for the poultry and pork sectors, which would expand the model's scope and sustainability.

At the WOAH Animal Health Forum—held under the theme “Investing in animal health to secure the future for all”—the Uruguayan delegation also shared research findings on the economic impact of animal diseases and emphasized the importance of sustaining investment in health research and development. Among the lessons identified by Rodríguez are the need to clearly define institutional roles, build trust among sectors, and base dialogue on scientific evidence.