New foot and mouth outbreak hits hauliers
Date: 13 September 2007
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A further outbreak of foot and mouth disease will hit those freight haulage operators involved in the transportation of livestock and animal products.
Just hours after the ban on the movement of animals from Britain to other EU nations that followed last month's outbreak in Surrey was lifted, a new case was found near Egham in the same county yesterday (Wednesday, September 12th).
It is suspected that the virus originated from the nearly Pirbright laboratory complex, which was the source of the August outbreak.
Now the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has imposed a new national ban on the movement of cattle, sheep, pigs and other ruminants, with similar measure being adopted in Scotland and Wales.
Hilary Benn, secretary of state for the environment, said: "The immediate establishment of both a Protection Zone, with footpaths closed within it, and a national animal movement ban shows our determination to contain and eradicate this latest outbreak."
The Road Haulage Association recognised that the outbreak represents "another tremendous blow to livestock hauliers and to those transporting dairy-based food products - many of whom are still trying to get compensation from the 2001 outbreak".
RHA livestock manager Roger Wrapson commented: "Just as livestock hauliers were breathing a sigh of relief that the August outbreak had been contained, they have been dealt another blow."
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