I worked in agricultural inspection in a major port city for a few years and, although free trade can't override inspections and/or treatments required under existing import and export regulations, it can affect the development of any new regs. Unless there is something new in the veterinarian world that I have not heard, foot and mouth was last seen in the U.S. in 1929. The argument that Panama should be concerned about foot and mouth from the U.S. is irrational and most likely political.
Muleteam1