DO NOT ABANDON US - NFU'S MESSAGE TO PRIME
MINISTER
The Prime Minister today reiterated his commitment
to provide all the resources needed to fight foot and mouth disease after NFU
President Ben Gill told him: "You must not abandon us."
In an emergency meeting at Downing Street this morning, the NFU stressed that
there was little doubt the situation would get worse before it gets better and
every possible resource must be pumped into fighting the disease.
Mr Gill graphically explained the many grim details of the crisis, from
farmers' concerns that infected animals are not being slaughtered and disposed
of quickly enough to the nerve-wracking tension within rural communities.
Mr Gill said: "The Prime Minister stressed that we will work through this
together and that the Government would put in all the resources needed to rid
us of this dreadful scourge.
"We stressed that strong action is needed immediately on the issues
causing gravest concern, particularly the need for quick slaughter and
destruction of infected animals.
"We also highlighted the acute concern about the animal welfare
implications of not being able to move animals, particularly ewes about to
lamb.
"I will be meeting Agriculture Minister Nick Brown on this issue later
today and we expect an imminent announcement about further possible measures.
"
The NFU indicated its total opposition to vaccination - a policy that Mr Gill
said "simply does not work".
Mr Gill also expressed his deep concern and sympathy for other allied
industries suffering because of foot and mouth disease. The NFU will play a
full part in the rural taskforce that the Prime Minister has to set up with the
possibility of a rural fund.
On compensation for farmers, Mr Gill stressed again that there will be huge
losses to the industry over and above the slaughter of affected animals. He
said: "We will be talking to Government about what further compensation
can be provided in due course but our priority now has to be to stamp out this
disease."
He added: "The best thing that people can do to help us at the moment is
to demand British meat, especially in the face of an onslaught of imported
produce which threatens to undermine our market. We thank the British public
for all their support so far and ask that they keep this up. "
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