Farmers In The North Delighted To Escape Meat Export Ban
UK - Farmers in the North were delighted today when it was confirmed that they had escaped a meat export ban.
6 August 2007
1 minute read
Kenneth Sharkey, president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union, said: “We are delighted with that decision. It is what we expected because there is really no justification for introducing a ban in Northern Ireland.”
The news broke as Mr Sharkey and others involved in the meat processing industry met with Minister for Agriculture in Stormont Michelle Gildernew to discuss the foot-and-mouth outbreak in England.
Mr Sharkey added: “It’s business as usual for Northern Ireland. The introduction of a ban would have been terrible for the industry".
The minister met members of her Assembly scrutiny committee to brief them on the measures which have been swiftly introduced since the outbreak was confirmed on Friday evening.
Speaking after more than an hour with the minister, Agricultural Committee deputy chairman Tom Elliott said: “We were pretty confident Northern Ireland would have a derogation from the export ban. We are also confident that this case in England is an isolated incident and that Northern Ireland will not be affected.”
