NFU SAYS THERE MUST BE NO LET UP IN THE FIGHT
AGAINST FOOT AND MOUTH
The NFU says today's forecast by the Government's
Chief Scientist that the tide may be starting to turn on the foot and mouth
disease is a glimmer of hope for Britain's countryside.
But NFU President Ben Gill said that the nightmare for Britain's livestock
farmers was far from over and more still had to be done to ensure the
Government's targets for slaughter were being met everywhere.
Ben Gill said: "This report provides a much-needed sign that the current
slaughter and destruction strategy is having an impact on the daily incidence
of this disease and further evidence that this approach is the best way to rid
this country of foot and mouth once and for all."
He praised the work of the Army and others on the ground, from public servants
to lorry drivers to the growing contingent of veterinary surgeons both from
home and overseas, who have all helped to improve response times and management
of the disease. He said: "I want to express my sincere thanks on
this."
Ben Gill added that while further improvement was still needed, the scientific
advice indicated that there was no need at the moment for vaccination to play a
major part in the disease control policy.
The use of vaccination would ultimately require the diversion of vital
resources in the short term and present a raft of medium and longer-term issues
that extended far wider than the loss of Britain's ability to export.
There would need to be movement restrictions on produce and livestock from
vaccinated areas and there would be the risk of vaccinated animals infecting
healthy stock. Vaccination against foot and mouth disease is not the simplistic
tool used to immunise people from childhood diseases.
He said: "This disease has devastated Britain's livestock sector and
severely knocked the tourist and allied industries. Many farmers know that if
they are to survive, the job of re-building the industry must begin soon."
Ben Gill added that more resources have to be made available in the disease
hotspots of Cumbria and Devon and in areas of concern like Northumberland,the
West Midlands and Gloucestershire to ensure the rapid slaughter policy
continues to make in-roads into the disease.
He said: "The united fight against this disease must move forward from
here with renewed determination. The faster we move, the fewer animals we will
need to slaughter.
"The quicker we can remove this disease from our shores, the sooner
farmers, allied industries and tourism can all be re-established. None of this
is easy - indeed it is horrible - but it is what we must do."
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