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Foot and Mouth
25/09/2007
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment is to visit Brussels tomorrow (Wednesday) to explore the European Commission's view of a welfare disposal scheme for lambs excluded from export markets due to the current outbreak in England of foot and mouth disease.
Speaking ahead of his fact-finding visit, Mr Lochhead said:
"Scotland is facing a desperate animal welfare crisis. We have more than 250,000 light lambs now running out of grazing. They were due for slaughter and despatch to Europe but that market is no longer available because of the export ban.
"We have already worked with the industry to develop options for a welfare disposal scheme and I want to refine that in the light of further suggestions today ahead of my visit to Brussels .
"I will be raising this as a matter of urgency when I meet with the Commission tomorrow and also at the Agriculture Council to see what may be practicable and feasible within current European rules. I will also be seeking the Commission's advice on other forms of assistance for our livestock sector and exploring the potential for regionalisation and resumption of Scottish livestock exports.
"Scotland continues to press the UK Government to help our important livestock industry at this crucial time. The Scottish Government and the industry share the view that the UK Government should fund such a welfare scheme and we await their response to the representations I made to Secretary of State, Hilary Benn when I met him in London last week and also the Prime Minister's response to the First Minister's letter.
"The Scottish Government cannot and will not let this matter rest. We have managed to mitigate some of the immediate impact through movement relaxations but this only gives short term respite.
"The bleak alternative is to have lambs starving to death on our hills this autumn and, in the longer term, the destruction of hill farming in Scotland. That is not something the Scottish Government will countenance."