National Beef Association
For everyone with an interest in the British beef industry

FMD Update 19th August 07

20th August 2007

Region: National

The NBA hopes that future updates will include information about the exit from the FMD crisis.      In England Key Stakeholders agreed not to hold another FMD meeting unless something happened as this would allow officials more time to work on the logistics of the exit strategy.   We will circulate news and easing of movement restrictions as soon as the office has them.

NBA is working in the core group in London and the group members agreed not to release information until it was announced by the group through Defra.    Huge progress was made last week in pulling together the overall exit strategy as well as driving forward the issuing of further general licences for livestock movements to ease the building pressure on farms.   We now have a programme of work in front of us.     Continued vigilance and bio security is vital as it is still very possible that there could be silent disease spread.

The NBA has raised with DEFRA the subject of TB Pre Movement Testing costs, suggesting Defra consider paying for PrMT of animals caught during the FMD movement restrictions that have expired due to the standstill and calves that will have reached 42 days of age by the time that they are able to move. There was considerable debate and considerable reluctance by DEFRA to fund these tests for various reasons including State Aid rules. I suspect that these tests will not be paid for by government but the NBA has not given up yet.

NFU and others are looking into legal claims if the source of the outbreak is confirmed. This will be a long drawn out issue but it may be worth keeping a record of losses and expenses, as requested in the last NBA newsletter.

Blue Tongue Virus 8 was rampant in Europe by Friday 17 August with as many as 180 cases on Friday.    It is in the countries bordering the channel and is rumoured to be circulating in France.