Foot and Mouth Disease in Surrey
| This news story was last substantively updated on 25 October 2007. For later news on this story please see Defra's news story index and/or our Foot and Mouth website pages. |
Update 17:30 25 October
The Culled and Fallen Stock Disposal Scheme, announced by Secretary of State for the Environment Hilary Benn as part of the £12.5m support package for farmers, opens for business today.
Under this scheme, Defra will cover the full cost of the collection and disposal of fallen stock carcasses, and stock culled for welfare reasons, for all livestock keepers with animals susceptible to Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) within the FMD Restricted Zone. The Scheme is also available in the Surveillance Zone under specific licensing conditions. This scheme replaces the National Fallen Stock Scheme arrangements in this area and will continue for as long as there are restrictions in these areas.
Any farmer who wishes to use the scheme should call the Culled and Fallen Stock Disposal Scheme helpline on 0845 054 8888 for details of collection and disposal arrangements.
Update 20:00 19 October
Defra confirmed today that the Foot and Mouth Disease Restricted Zone (formerly the Risk Area) will be reduced from 00.01hrs on Sunday 21 October, subject to there being no change in the disease situation.
Update 12:45 19 October
Changes to export rules have been agreed in Brussels today which will allow meat and meat products to be exported from more areas of England to other EU Member States. Rules for exporting meat and meat products have also been eased.
This follows the previous Commission decision which came into effect on 12 October allowing trade of meat from some parts of the country. Today’s decision means that trade will be able to take place from most of England, subject to strict conditions. We expect these new rules to come into effect next week.
Detailed guidance on what this means for exporters will be published shortly, together with the conditions that will apply.
These changes do not affect national domestic controls relating to FMD and Bluetongue on movements of live animals within Great Britain.
Foot and Mouth Disease background
Defra has confirmed that restrictions on the movements of animals affected by Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), established following the August/September outbreak in Surrey, have now been lifted in most parts of the country.
Following extensive surveillance work, veterinary risk assessment and no further cases of FMD being discovered, all FMD movement restrictions outside the FMD Risk Area have been lifted.
The Protection Zone around the Infected Premises in the Surrey area has also been lifted following the completion of surveillance work and will now become part of the wider Surveillance Zone.
The FMD Surveillance Zone and FMD Risk Area remain in place and movement restrictions continue to apply in these areas. The earliest date the Surveillance Zone can lift is 5 November.
- To find out if the FMD control zones affect you, see the full map on the Foot and Mouth Disease pages on this website.
Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, Fred Landeg, said:
“The risk of disease outside the Risk Area is very low but cannot be completely excluded therefore restrictions still apply within the Surveillance Zone and FMD Risk Area. Enhanced biosecurity measures need to be strictly adhered to by farmers and vigilance is essential. I continue to urge all animal keepers to check their animals twice a day and report any suspicion of disease in their animals immediately.“
Further information
- Further information about FMD, including background on the August/September outbreak and information on movements and licenses, is available on the Foot and Mouth Disease pages on this website.
- Bluetongue movement controls remain firmly in place in England. For further information, see the Bluetongue pages on this website.
Page last modified: 25 October 2007 17:30 (2 November 2007 18:00)
Page published: 18 October 2007