Germany's agriculture minister, Cem Oezdemir, has announced efforts to secure financial aid for farmers impacted by a recent foot-and-mouth disease outbreak at a farm in the Brandenburg region.

The first case in nearly 40 years was reported on January 10 in a herd of water buffalo near Berlin, but no additional cases have been confirmed.

Oezdemir emphasized the priority of containing the disease and expressed a desire to prevent farm closures due to its effects.

The government is seeking crisis aid from the European Union and working with Germany's finance ministry on additional support.

While fears of a broader outbreak have subsided, with pig prices stabilizing, restrictions remain in place.

Import bans on German meat and dairy products have been imposed by countries like the UK, South Korea, and Mexico, impacting Germany's livestock sector.

The EU has allowed the continued sale of German meat and dairy products outside the affected region.

The Friedrich Loeffler Institute, Germany's animal disease research institute, stated that the country will only be considered free of foot-and-mouth disease after three months without new cases.