Sheep Veterinary Society
Division of the British Veterinary Association

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Issued 23^rd February 2001

LIVESTOCK MOVEMENTS IN GREAT BRITAIN SUSPENDED UNTIL FRIDAY 2 MARCH

To help ensure that the current outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease is contained and eradicated as quickly as possible, the Ministry of Agriculture is prohibiting the movement of all sheep, cattle, pigs and goats within Great Britain. Great Britain will be declared a "Controlled Area" under the Foot and Mouth Disease Order 1993 from 5pm today until Friday 2 March.

Speaking in London this afternoon Agriculture Minister Nick Brown said:  "Foot and Mouth Disease has been confirmed on the farm in Heddon-on-the-Wall in Tyne and Wear. It seems likely that this farm may have been the source of the current outbreak. Disease appears to have been present for two to three weeks, and there have been regular personnel and transport links with the Essex abattoir. The State Veterinary Service have already identified some 400 animal and vehicle movements which need to be investigated.

"The Chief Veterinary Officer for Great Britain, Jim Scudamore, has advised me that there is therefore a real risk that FMD could appear anywhere in the UK. In the circumstances, and after discussion with interested parties in the farming and food industries, he has advised that there should be a seven-day standstill of livestock movements throughout the country. With the relatively short incubation period of FMD, this should give us a much better handle on what kind of outbreak we are facing; and meanwhile stop the movements which pose the greatest risk of spread.

"While this will obviously be disruptive, there was general support from the farming and food industries this morning that this is the right approach.

"The controls will be brought into effect at 5pm today. Journeys which have already begun at that time may continue to destination. The controls will be based on the establishment of a "controlled area" under the 1983 Foot & Mouth Disease Order. However that would normally permit local authorities to issue licences for certain types of movement. Our presumption is that there should be no movements for this short period. I will therefore retain a reserve power to permit the issuing of licences, to cover any exceptional circumstances which come to light over the next few days.

"I shall be taking these powers for England & Wales. Parallel measures are expected to be brought in Scotland. Northern Ireland is a separate area for disease control purposes, but may well follow suit.

"We shall be working in the closest co-operation with all in the relevant business and rural communities, whose responsible approach to the present disease is appreciated, and essential to restricting the spread of disease. We believe that the food chain can sustain an interruption of up to a week in fresh supplies. We will obviously look carefully at any real difficulties next week.

"The controlled species are those susceptible to FMD - pigs, cattle, sheep, goats and the like. Poultry and horses are not affected; nor is the supply of milk.

"The controls will close fairs and markets, and prohibit deer and fox hunting, and hare coursing, because of the risk of disease spread.

"During that period, officials would work with the industry and local authorities to establish what regime should come in after this week.

"Over and above these controls, I call on the whole farming and rural community to exercise responsibility, and avoid any unnecessary gatherings of people, or movements of large numbers of people, on farm land."

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Issued 24 February 2001

LIMITED EXEMPTION TO THE SUSPENSION OF GB LIVESTOCK MOVEMENT

The Ministry of Agriculture today announced limited exemptions to the seven-day total prohibition of livestock movements imposed to ensure the containment and eradication of foot and mouth disease.

From 6pm on Saturday, February 24, any animal which has:

- died on the premises on which it was kept; or
- been slaughtered for animal welfare reasons;

may be moved from the premises on which it is to a rendering plant, knacker's yard or a hunt kennel. Such movements are subject to stringent conditions to minimise any risk of disease spread.

The Ministry also issued a licence on Friday 23 February permitting animals caught at markets, fairs or collection centres at 5 pm that day, when the controlled area in England & Wales came into force, to return to the premises of the owner or purchaser, or move direct to slaughter.