Foot and Mouth Standstill ‘Crippling’ Livestock Industry
UK - The current 20-day standstill, introduced as a foot and mouth control measure, is crippling Scotland’s livestock industry and rendering livestock markets meaningless. NFUS has called for separation arrangements to be reintroduced immediately to avoid a total meltdown in the industry.The current 20-day standstill is different to the 21-day standstill for animals going to slaughter for export; for which there are no exemptions.
The consequences of the domestic 20-day standstill include cancelled sales - because there are no buyers willing to take new stock home - market prices dropping even further and animals being left unsold in markets because farmers simply can’t afford to take them home and face the 20-day closure.
NFUS President Jim McLaren said:
“Our members are simply at their wits’ end. The 20-day standstill is causing markets to collapse. Prices are horrendous, buyers are non-existent and animals are being abandoned at markets because farmers simply can’t afford to take them home if they are unsold and see their business effectively closed for three weeks.
“The vets and Scottish Government tell us that the disease risk is slightly higher with separation arrangements. Such is the financial disaster being played out at the moment, that the time has come to accept a slightly higher risk and reintroduce separation arrangements. They are approved by local area offices and allow new animals coming on to farm to be isolated, but with other animals still able to move off.
“I have reiterated the points again this morning to the Chief Vet and Cabinet Secretary – we need an announcement now to remove this current restriction.”