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Foot and Mouth
07/09/2007
Defra have today reported the successful completion of all testing within the Foot and Mouth Disease Surveillance Zone in Surrey.
This will allow it to be lifted at noon tomorrow (Saturday September 8). In parallel with this, the temporary safeguards imposed on August 23, including the 20 day standstill and suspension of separation agreements will be removed across Scotland.
Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, said:
"This is very good news for Scottish livestock keepers. We announced an ambitious timetable for lifting the final restrictions on Tuesday. We are now able to confirm that these will be lifted at noon on Saturday, slightly earlier than expected.
"Scotland's livestock industry can now get back to business as usual and the business it does best - providing high quality produce at home and abroad. It is a challenging time but the Scottish Government will give the industry all the support it can in the weeks and months ahead."
The temporary safeguards of 20 day movement standstill, suspension of separation agreements and requirement for veterinary inspections at markets will cease at noon Saturday 8 September. From this time, livestock movement controls will revert to those which applied prior to the FMD outbreak. A 13 day standstill will once again apply to mainland Scotland as will use of separation agreements and a range of exemptions to this standstill control. (The islands have been operating under this system since August 24). Similar restrictions will be lifted in England and Wales at the same time.