|
Back to FMD Homepage
COUNTRY LAND AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (CLA) STATEMENT ON THE
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO THE FMD INQUIRY REPORTS
News Release 6th November 2002
Commenting on the Government response to the FMD inquiry reports,
CLA President Sir Edward Greenwell said:
"The Country Land and Business Association
(1) is pleased that the Government has at last
outlined its future strategy for dealing with animal disease following
the recommendations contained in the Lessons Learned and Royal Society
Inquiries.
"However we are deeply concerned that the
Government is still looking at transferring financial liability
for animal disease control to farmers. Farmers have accepted the
financial responsibility for improved biosecurity. However they
cannot be expected to foot the bill for the Government's disease
control measures and must be paid fair compensation if their animals
are taken by the state for slaughter.
"The Government needs now to turn words into
action and build on the good intentions expressed today. In
doing so, its priorities should be as follows:
On rural tourism:
Tourism is crucial to the viability of the rural economy, as was
so vividly demonstrated last year. The Government is right
that the countryside should not be unnecessarily closed down in
the event of another animal disease outbreak and we welcome the
proposal for a demarcated 'blue box' exclusion system. However
the Government must be ready to respond if there is a risk of disease
spreading across open countryside, especially once the CROW Act
has come into force.
On vaccination:
The Government must clearly demonstrate its commitment to the introduction
of an effective and practicable emergency vaccination procedure,
agreed across the EU, with a reliable means of distinguishing vaccinated
from infected animals, so that we will never again face a mass livestock
cull on the scale of 2001.
On the 20-day standstill
rule:
The 20-day standstill is putting an intolerable burden on
livestock farming. We urge the Government to act without delay on
the veterinary and cost benefit assessments expected at the end
of this month.
On illegal meat imports:
We welcome the announcement that responsibility for stopping illegal
meat imports will now rest with one agency - HM Customs & Excise.
We also welcome the ban on personal imports of meat. However
the real evidence of the Government's commitment will come when
spot checks of people and vehicles become a feature at all places
of entry into the UK.
On the contingency
plan:
The Government's commitment to putting an effective contingency
plan in place is to be applauded. It is vital that everyone
concerned is fully aware, well rehearsed and that the plan is continuously
reviewed and updated."
References
1. Country Land and Business Association
Website: www.cla.org.uk
|
