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Foot and Mouth
04/09/2007
A timetable for removing the temporary safeguard measures put in place last month to protect Scotland from Foot and Mouth disease has been published.
The 20 day standstill and requirement for veterinary presence will end in parallel with the lifting of the Foot and Mouth Disease surveillance zone in Surrey. In addition separation agreements will resume. The surveillance zone will be lifted once final tests on the animals within the area have been completed. The earliest this will happen is this Saturday - September 8.
Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment said:
"I am pleased that are we now in a position to make this final step in returning industry to normal and to plan around that.
"In practical terms, this will mean just a couple of more days in standstill to what would otherwise have been the case.
"Scotland's livestock industry has been a through a disruptive and anxious period.
"But it has shown remarkable patience and resilience in recent weeks and the Scottish Government will continue to work with industry to support a speedy recovery."
The additional safeguards were temporary measures to protect Scotland's livestock industry whilst the disease risk returned to pre-August levels. From August 23 animal movements were permitted subject to:
- 20 day standstill on farms where animals moved on
- Suspension of separation agreements on the mainland
- Requirement for veterinary inspections at markets
Scottish animal movements will now return to their pre-outbreak regime - i.e. 13 day regime with appropriate exemptions, including use of separation agreements. The current 20 day regime will end at 2359 hours on the day that the surveillance zone is lifted. This will occur on September 8 at the earliest, the final timing being dependent on the completion of laboratory analysis of blood samples taken from susceptible animals in the zone.