6 August 2007

1 minute read

Europe

The outbreak of foot-and-mouth on a Surrey farm is of the same strain stored at the Pribright lab and used in vaccination for the disease.

The three-month ban was brought in after the discovery of the virus on a farm in Surrey.

Last time foot-and-mouth hit Britain, it led to the culling of between 6.5 and ten million animals at a cost of about £8.5 billion to the economy.

Farmers and the meat industry in Scotland argue that, if the virus has been contained, it is unfair that producers hundreds of miles away are punished. Northern Ireland and Ireland are already calling for the European Commission, which is in charge of the ban, to lift export restrictions in their area.

Yesterday the First Minister, Alex Salmond, said it was vital the country's meat industry should get moving again as soon as possible.

A three-month export ban would cost the Scottish industry millions of pounds just when the market is picking up again following the lifting last year of the ban on beef exports because of mad cow disease.

This time it is hoped increased biosecurity can contain the spread of the disease.

Source: Scotsman