06 August 2007, 18:14 PM
  • With this latest outbreak, farmers look set to face a bill for tens of millions of pounds as international bans are imposed on British produce after two cows in Surrey tested positive for foot and mouth disease.

Last time the disease struck Britain the total bill mounted to more than £8 billion as 1000s of cattle were killed, halting sales abroad and damaging demand at home. It is hoped that this outbreak will not be as devastating, but “it will certainly be in the millions already,” according to Anthony Gibson, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) director of communications.

Farmers, who stand to lose more than £10 million a week from the meat export bans alone, may sue if a Government research laboratory turns out to be the source of the outbreak.

An investigation is under way into procedures at two laboratories in the vicinity of the outbreak that handle the same strain of the virus as that found to infect cattle. One is the Government funded Institute for Animal Health (IAH), the other is vaccine maker Merial Animal Health. Both deny any breach of their biosecurity protoculs.

Peter Kendall, NFU president, said after crisis talks with Gordon Brown in Downing Street that his members were angry the outbreak may have begun at the research laboratory. “We want this stamped out and controlled and life getting back to normal,” Mr Kendall said. “The most important thing at this moment is eradication and containment.”

The Prime Minister, who cut short his holiday to handle the crisis, has begun a tour of the affected areas after chairing the Government’s emergency committee meetings. So far 120 cattle have been culled in an attempt to contain the outbreak.

David Fursdon, President of the Country Land and Business Association, said there would be widespread anger from farmers if the source of the outbreak turned out to be a Government research centre turned out to be the source. “This is the last thing on earth any livestock farmer wanted to have to deal with at the end of a very difficult summer,” he said.

“It hasn’t been a good summer for tourism either - particularly because of the weather. Now just as business starts picking up, this happens.”


The NFU is deeply concerned about this current crisis. “It is possible that other animals have been infected and it has gone further than the local area. It is absolutely imperative that we put all our current efforts into controlling the disease and stop this outbreak in its tracks. Vigilance must not be relaxed and biosecurity is of paramount importance.

“For the future, once we get to the bottom of exactly what has happened we, as a membership organisation, will have to look at issues of accountability and compensation. But that is for the future – right now all our efforts are going into getting on top of this potentially devastating disease.”