A foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) vaccine and method for producing same is described wherein the N terminal portion of the FMDV polyprotein, encoding the four structural proteins, 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, are each separated by a non-FMDV protease, preferably a cellular protease, for example, furin. The expression system may be transformed into a cell expressing the non-FMDV protease and the resulting particles recovered for use as a vaccine.