FMD fears over lack of protection for farmers

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NORTHERN Ireland has been excluded from UK government measures aimed at preventing the potential spread of Foot and Mouth from Germany following an outbreak of the disease there.

While the import of cattle, pigs and sheep from Germany has been banned in Great Britain, with health certificates no longer being issued for animals susceptible to FMD, including all live animals and fresh meat, there are no such protections for the Province’s farmers due to Brexit rules.

It means that the UK government’s pledge to “protect our nation’s farmers” from the risk of Foot and Mouth will ring hollow in the ears of many Northern Ireland producers who are merely being told to “remain vigilant” in the face of a threat that could devastate the industry.

NI Farm Minister Andrew Muir said the emergence of FMD in Germany was of significant concern, not only for our livestock owners but also for the entire agricultural sector across the UK, Republic of Ireland and the EU.

It was “crucial that we take proactive steps to protect our livestock,” he added.

As Germany has now lost its FMD-free status, meaning it is hindered from exporting outside the European Union. However, under internal market arrangements the export ban does not affect movements from unaffected regions of the country to other markets within the EU which, due to the Brexit arrangements, includes Northern Ireland.

Mr Muir said strict controls were in place prohibiting the import of animals and animal products from FMD affected countries.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) was closely monitoring the situation, he said, and could confirm that there had been no movement of susceptible species into Northern Ireland from Germany since December 1. Likewise, there have been no imports from the region into the Republic of Ireland for the past two months.

DUP Westminster agriculture, environment and rural affairs spokesperson Carla Lockhart accused the UK government of double standards and betrayal over the exclusion of Northern Ireland from the preventative measures aimed at keeping Foot and Mouth disease out of the country.

The Upper Bann MP said: “Foot and Mouth Disease is endemic in several parts of Asia and in most of Africa and the Middle East. I am urging the public, especially those travelling to Northern Ireland and ROI from these countries, to refrain from illegally importing contaminated food products.

“FMD is not a threat to public health, but anyone who has had contact with livestock in FMD-affected countries is required to report to airport Department of Agriculture officials on arrival to undergo the necessary biosecurity precautions.”

She continued: “Northern Ireland remains under threat from Bluetongue. Being island based we are in a unique position and should be doing everything in our power to keep out FMD, BTV3 and, the pending threat from the highly pathogenic Avian flu.

“Collectively, we must do everything we can to protect Northern Ireland’s livestock industry. I am asking livestock farmers to consider the risks before importing animals from mainland Europe. I am also appealing to those involved in the illegal importation of livestock to stop and re-consider their actions.”

Ulster Unionist Peer Lord Elliott was similarly damning of the Province’s exclusion from the protective measures.

“While Great Britain has introduced measures quickly to protect farmers and their livelihoods from the spread of Foot and Mouth following a case being confirmed in Germany, there is no such protection for Northern Ireland,” he said.

“This measure highlights the negative aspect of the Windsor Framework along with the difficulties and dangers that it poses for Northern Ireland farmers and economy.

“The community of Northern Ireland deserve protection from such potential dangers, it is vital that the UK government recognise such dangers and act to equally protect Northern Ireland in the same fashion as the rest of the United Kingdom.”

Mr Muir emphasised the importance of biosecurity measures, responsible sourcing and encouraged livestock owners to implement best practices to safeguard their animals.

He said: “I cannot stress enough the importance of responsible sourcing to protect our livestock from any disease incursion. Furthermore, I am reminding all keepers of the need for high levels of biosecurity and to remain alert and report any unusual symptoms promptly to a veterinarian or my department.”

For further information on FMD and clinical signs, please visit the Foot and Mouth disease | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

The UK Chief Veterinary Officer is also urging livestock keepers to remain vigilant to the clinical signs of FMD.

Clinical signs to be aware of vary depending on the animals, but in cattle the key signs are sores and blisters on the feet, mouth and tongue with potentially a fever, lameness and a reluctance to feed. In sheep and pigs signs tend to manifest with lameness with potential for blistering.

UK Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christine Middlemiss said: “We remain in constant contact with German counterparts to understand the latest situation following their confirmation of a single case of Foot and Mouth disease.

“We have robust contingency plans in place to manage the risk of this disease to protect farmers and Britain’s food security, which means using all measures to limit the risk incursion and spread of this devastating disease.

“I would urge livestock keepers to exercise the upmost vigilance for signs of disease, follow scrupulous biosecurity and report any suspicion of disease immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

UK Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner said: “The government will do whatever it takes to protect our nation’s farmers from the risk posed by Foot and Mouth.

“That is why restrictions have immediately been brought in on animal products from Germany to prevent an outbreak and we will not hesitate to add additional countries to the list if the disease spreads.

“We will continue to keep the situation under review working closely with the German authorities.”

An outbreak of FMD in the UK during 2001 resulted in more than six million farm animals being destroyed and the agriculture industry being plunged into crisis that has taken decades to recover from.

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