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20 August 2008 21:00 BST

Foot and mouth curbs to be eased

Friday, 28 Sep 2007 08:00

Livestock markets can be held in low-risk areas from Thursday

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The government has announced that restrictions imposed to limit the spread of foot and mouth disease will be eased next week.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said that from October 4th movements to livestock markets would be permitted in low-risk areas. It also announced the lifting of a control zone imposed in the Maidenhead area after negative test
results on the spread of the disease in the area.

But Defra warned that biosecurity measures would still be observed stringently and that all restrictions within existing control zones were in place.

Environment secretary Hilary Benn said: "We have always taken a risk-based and staged approach to movement restrictions. The decision to announce today that livestock markets will be allowed from next Thursday follows extensive discussion with stakeholders, and I know will be of great benefit to the farming and food chain industry in easing economic and welfare pressures.

"It will also allow time for preparations for markets to take place and for the required biosecurity measures to be applied,” he added.

Yesterday, a fifth case of bluetongue disease was confirmed after another animal tested positive for the condition transmitted by midges.

Defra said the animal would be culled and insisted that the increased restrictions and apparent spread of bluetongue did not mean that an outbreak of the insect-transmitted disease had occurred.

"At this stage, there is not sufficient evidence to confirm an active outbreak of bluetongue by the internationally-recognised definition," a spokesperson said.

"It cannot yet be demonstrated that the disease is circulating or alternatively is the result of a single incursion of infected midges from abroad."
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Foot and mouth curbs to be eased

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