This comes a long time after European farmers raised concerns about the relaxed attitude of the European Commission, which allowed Brazilian beef imports to continue while other countries, including the United States and Russia, banned trade because of the risk from foot-and-mouth.

The vaccination is on a massive scale, involving, according to some reports, more than 120 million cattle. The aim is secure foot-and-mouth freedom for the entire country by 2009.

The scale of the vaccination programme appears to confirm warnings last month by Brazil's new Agriculture Minister that the foot-and-mouth problem was more serious than the Government believed.

Source: Farmers Guardian

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