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APPENDIX 2: ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDER VIEWS
During interviews stakeholders made valuable comments and suggestions quite specific to their particular area of expertise which they felt would help to increase preparedness and minimise any future disease related disruption. It has not been possible to discuss all these in detail in this report but they are listed below for information:
Regionalisation
- The pig sector has a good tracing system so animal specific regionalisation could work for pigs.
- There needs to be a discussion with the UK and the European Commission over the way in which the control of export products is dealt with.
- There should be larger surveillance zones around infected premises and smaller restricted zones to minimise impact on low risk areas like, in this case, Scotland. Consider how to make the Scottish Islands secure and separate epidemiological units.
- More local slaughterhouses would reduce the need for moving animals large distances and thereby helping with disease control and branding.
- There must be more pre-outbreak planning so the Scottish Islands can rapidly identify animal movements.
- Better recording of incoming movements in line with the systems in place on Shetland would be helpful for Orkney and the Western Isles.
Disease Strategy and Movement Controls
- The issue of facilities for cleansing vehicles in peacetime needs to be reviewed.
- Where there is a requirement for vehicle washes, slaughterhouses need to be able to deal with the vehicles that supply them.
- Farmers and hauliers should ensure that their vehicles are clean at the start of a journey to reduce the time spent washing vehicles at the slaughterhouses.
- Guidelines for emptying markets already in progress when a movement ban is imposed need to be available. Animals should be able to move to buyers' destinations within a certain time limit.
- Establish collection centres faster where the level of risk allows. Additional biosecurity requirements are preferable to continued delays.
- The need for vaccination for experimental animals on research establishments should be reviewed.
- Laboratories with animals on site must be prepared when receiving incoming samples for diagnostic purposes as they may contain pathogens that are unknown or notifiable.
Economic, scientific and veterinary advice
- Researchers from overseas should be consulted with, particularly those from the major centres in the United States.
- It is recognised that the UK Government must consider vaccination as part of the contingency planning arrangements but when doing so they should automatically consult with Devolved Administrations. A more general view of vaccination is required and this should include consideration of what the exit strategy should be.
Liaison with UK departments and the European Union
- Trading Standards should meet with the Road Haulage Association to develop a common understanding.
- Consider building a requirement of proof of ownership into any future welfare schemes.
- Any scheme to cull animals should be for producers only to limit abuses.
- Where possible any scheme to cull animals should make use of local facilities to reduce the distance animals have to travel.
Communication with stakeholders
- An agreed communications line, possibly based around a simple list of do's and don'ts would help stakeholders advise their members.
- Need to set up a GB/ UK-wide trade group in the event of a major outbreak of disease.
- Communications could be focused through agricultural correspondents.
- Discussions could take place with the main Scottish newspapers to identify the most effective methods for providing information to the industry especially in relation to permitted movements.
- It would be helpful if a daily update were sent to all veterinary practitioners at a regular time so that vets would know when to look for information and be ready to pass it on to their farmer clients. In this way farmers would receive up-to-date information.
- The legal implications of decisions could be made clearer at stakeholder meetings to encourage well informed decision making.
Co-ordination with Delivery Agents
- Provide stakeholders with high quality, targeted advice and education on compliance issues which should reduce the need for enforcement.
Contingency Planning
- Industry to consider developing their own contingency plans on how to deal with national movement bans.
- Consider inserting a question on disease contingency planning in the Farm Assurance Scheme to raise awareness among farmers.
- The FMD Contingency Plan must recognise the potential welfare issues that may arise, particularly in sheep, depending on the time of year.
- Provide stakeholders with a refresher on the format of licences every few years to keep this fresh in peoples' minds.
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