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Dismay at statements made by
President of NFU on BBC TV
James Irvine
Teviot Scientific, Cultybraggan Farm, Comrie,
Perthshire
Filed 08 Aug
©www.land-care.org.uk
Just two days ago I praised the President of NFU
for saying that, in relation to the management of the current FMD
crisis in Surrey, his Union would be guided by science. Indeed,
I congratulated him on taking the correct stance, while the distinguished
figure of Sir Brian Porritt had recently written in the Sunday Times
that the management of FMD outbreaks was a social and political
matter, with science presumably playing a secondary role (1).
But this morning the President of NFU was back
talking about stamping out by culling in the hope of avoiding EU
penalties in terms of export bans if vaccination was used. The incuabtion
period is anything between 7 up to 14 days. We are no where near
out of the woods, so to speak.
This is an intensely dangerous game he is playing.
FMD is the most contagious disease that there is that affects hoofed
animals. Minute amounts of virus are sufficient to spread it.
Who on earth is advising the NFU about what science
can do, if only it were to be applied in this country? We seem to
be right back at the dreadful days of UK FMD 2001, when the NFU
President of the day was doing so much damage by taking the stance
that the current president is reiterating today.
The comments by the current President of the British
Veterinary Association (BVA), David Catlow, in the same BBC TV programme
this morning were embarassing. Science just does not seem to come
into BVA's thinking. Instead, he pooured out bland, profuse compliments
on the Institute of Animal Health Laboratory at Pirbright, which
in reality seems to have consistently put its mind against accepting
scientific advances that others have made in other countries.
I cannot imagine a situation where the earliest
possible use of vaccination to prevent transmission of FMD could
be more relevant.
©www.land-care.org.uk
Reference
1. Irvine, James (2007). Sir Brian
Follett repeats fallacies of UK FMD 2001
See FMD Homepage, filed 06 Aug 07, www.land-care.org.uk
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