The Scottish Government

FOOT AND MOUTH OUTBREAK - SURREY

STAKEHOLDERS MEETING

15 AUGUST, PENTLAND HOUSE

Present

* By teleconference

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Introduction

1. The Cabinet Secretary welcomed stakeholders to the meeting. He said that the purpose of this meeting was to update stakeholders on the foot and mouth disease (FMD) situation, inform them of upcoming actions and hear their views on the effect of the current restrictions.

Update

2. CVO Scotland gave a brief update. As of noon that day, there were still two infected premises (IP), with 57 cases having been negated and five remaining under investigation, of which two were in Temporary Control Zones. From these last cases, initial tests had proved negative but the results of further tests were still required.

3. The disease control timetable was expressed as follows. The European Commission (EC) Directive started the clock when the preliminary cleansing and disinfecting of the last IP was completed. This means with no further cases the start date for an exit strategy is 9 August. After a minimum of 15 days the Protection Zone can be lifted (with the area falling into the Surveillance Zone (SZ)). Rules require testing and inspection in the SZ, then after a further minimum 15 days it too can be lifted. This means the SZ could be lifted at the very earliest on Saturday 8 September.

4. CVO Scotland gave some information on Veterinary Risk Assessments (VRAs), with them being produced by his team, independently peer reviewed and placed on the website. He encouraged all to read them and he welcomed any feedback.

5. Uel Morton asked about incubation periods, with CVO responding that experience from 1967 showed that it was 3-8 days in field, but the OIE period of 14 days was important with regard to resuming international trade.

Recent Actions Taken

6. Ian Anderson said that what had been done recently was:

8 August - General Licence for disposal of animal by-products.

10 August - General Licences for - movement to slaughter; movement of deer carcasses; movement of pregnant sows, cows and unweaned pigs; movement of samples for diagnostic testing; movement of carcasses.

11 August - General Licence for the movement of laboratory rodents.

12 August - General Licence removing the Northern and Western Isles from the Restricted Zone. Specific Licences available for acute welfare reasons

This was on top of formal implementation of the EC decision.

Look Ahead

7. Ian Anderson said that coming next was the Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) meeting in Brussels on Thursday 23 August, with an informal discussion between UK and EC officials on Monday 20 August, to discuss the UK exit strategy. SE officials are aiming to achieve the best outcome for Scotland. Although the EC have been supportive of UK actions, other member states may have views and there will be a vote at SCoFCAH. Therefore provisionally we would intend to have stakeholder meetings on 21 and 24 August to provide updates.

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8. Ian Anderson then briefly spoke about regionalisation, a process by which Scotland might have the possibility to have trade restrictions lifted earlier. He said that it was a very complex issue which had been discussed with key players in the supply chain, and that the views of retailers were particularly important. Compliance costs (logistics, licensing, enforcement, etc) would be high, prohibitively so if the measures were only to last for a few weeks. It would be better to ring-fence a small area around the IPs as high risk (e.g. Surrey and Hampshire) and have the rest of GB as a buffer zone, in which meat and animals can move freely for the domestic market. Exports to the EU of meat, but not immediately live animals, could then resume from the buffer zone, Exports to 3rd Countries would be later under OIE rules.

9. Charles Milne then explained the upcoming veterinary position, stressing three caveats;

9.1 A number of measures had been taken to address stakeholder concerns over the past few days. While there was reason for optimism given the current known epidemiological situation, we were not certain that there were no undisclosed pockets of infection.

9.2 Anything done now must not hamper the discussions with the EC on lifting trade restrictions.

9.3 All discussions were dependent on there being no new cases.

10. Further measures planned were;

10.1 From midnight tonight the movement of pigs would be permitted to alleviate acute welfare problems. This should particularly help weaner pigs. It would be subject to veterinary inspection, limited to 50km, or 100km if the destination did not have any susceptible animals and be conditional on cleansing and disinfecting. This was being done in concert with England and Wales.

10.2 Older cattle on OCDS will be permitted to be moved to slaughter by Friday, though there was a warning that MHS was stretched dealing with slaughter for human consumption at present.

10.3 On Monday it was hoped to allow milk recorders, weight recorders and carcase scanners onto farms, subject to it being a single farm visit.

10.4 With no fixed date yet, the distance of movement for welfare cases would be increased from 20km to 50km due to representations from industry.

10.5 Next week, the resumption of contract shearing and dipping, with RPID staff monitoring.

10.6 Provision for collection centres on Thursday or Friday of next week.

10.7 Single movements for breeding stock currently on artificial insemination units.

11. The earliest realistic date for sheep and suckler sales would be 8 September. All dates were stressed as being provisional in line with the previously mentioned caveats.

12. There was considerable feeling from the floor that this timescale was too slow and that industry had an expectation that two incubation periods of eight days, with a total of 16 days, was enough before a return to normal trade could be expected. Several stakeholders said their members would expect this. This would make Monday 20 August the date they expected restrictions to begin to be lifted, with sales of store stock by the end of next week. Many felt that two incubation periods would be sufficient to reduce the risk to the level it was before the outbreak, or at least to a level where the risks of spread were outweighed by the damage to the industry of not lifting restrictions.

13. CVO responded to the general point by saying that while the risk of disease spread was low, the consequences of spread could be catastrophic. He stressed that we are not out of the woods and a single spark could ignite an extensive outbreak. Having experienced the 2001 outbreak at first hand he was not willing to genuinely risk another epidemic. It was also stressed that CVO had not given any definite date at the last stakeholders meeting but, having been pressed, had given his best assessment at the time and had given serious caveats with it. He said that the new date of 8 September was his best assessment of a date that could be given with any firmness at this point and was subject to change in either direction, based on disease occurrence and discussions with the EC. He also said that there was greater risk involved in the movement of live animals than of carcases. Finally, he pointed out that the lifting of restrictions could be seen externally as imprudent, and any damage to Scotland's credibility and could hamper attempts to lift export restrictions at the earliest possible date.

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14. Many were disappointed and brought up specific issues, including;

14.1 The back-log of animals and the logistical difficulties in getting them to market. We are approaching a tipping point farmers cannot manage the consequences of the restrictions without significant difficulties. It was said that the damage to agriculture by the given timetable would be "enormous".

14.2 The effect on prices of a back-log of animals hitting the market, especially if it comes on the same day as lifting of restrictions elsewhere in GB - CVO said that a Veterinary Risk Assessment for sales was underway and would be completed as soon as resources allowed.

14.3 The need for veterinary involvement to move animals for welfare reasons was excessive and costly.

14.4 Movements within a business were only allowed for specific reasons; these should be lifted. CVO agreed to look at that. Moves for management reasons only would be problematic, but he endeavoured to see what could be done.

14.5 Collection centres could also be markets, which would help bring structure back to pricing - CVO agreed that that should be possible and promised to work with industry, auctioneers and Cosla on the arrangements for collection centres.

14.6 Collection centres were said not to have increased the risk in 2001 so there was a plea to get them going early next week.

14.7 After SCoFCAH there should be an attempt to return quickly to normal, with plans in place beforehand - the Cabinet Secretary agreed that the approach is and should be a readiness to activate plans as soon as possible.
14.8 Licensing of movements off the islands to farms and not just to slaughter should be allowed soon - CVO agreed to look at this.

14.9 Danger of animals getting stuck in the Highlands by logistics if country comes out of restrictions late and together. Could need to be slaughtered there, potentially on-farm - CVO agreed to look at this but stressed that the decision to reduce restrictions on islands was based on tracings of individual animals which showed that only one sheep movement had gone to the islands from anywhere in England (Macclesfield), with all other animal movements being from within Scotland or Ireland. This assessment would be very difficult to make for other areas.

14.10 Pigs are getting out of specification for their contracts and may go to waste. Need to allow smaller movements to slaughter to go with larger, as there were welfare issues at finishing units - CVO pointed out that this was economic restriction and not legal, but agreed that collection centres was an issue with pigs and took the discussion off-line.

14.11 Drivers' hours regulations still a problem - this was being covered in a Civil Contingencies Secretariat (Officials) meeting at 4pm and haulage representatives could join in with SE officials.

14.12 Related to the above, vehicles were queuing for cleansing and disinfecting and it was taking up to six hours, with knock-on effect on drivers' hours and them sometimes being limited to one journey per day.

14.13 Hauliers said many premises could not get large lorries in, and that smaller movements could be made by Land Rover and trailer - CVO agreed this would help with collection centres.

14.14 Single pick-ups were not working; request to look at multiple pick-ups again.

14.15 Weather conditions were ideal for fly-strike - CVO said that this would be covered as a movement for welfare reasons.

14.16 Islands should be allowed auctions - CVO said that the islands licences already permit this.

14.17 Stock boats arrive from overseas on 29 August in Shetland and 3 September elsewhere. Failure to use them while here would present serious problems - Cabinet Secretary said he had had representations about this and it would be borne in mind.

14.18 Would meetings on farms such as on Monitor Farms be allowed - yes.

14.19 Could farm-to-farm private sales be allowed before 8 September - CVO said he would consider. However, auctioneer representatives said auctions must be allowed on the same day.

14.20 Problem with hill lambs running out of grass to eat - CVO responded that a nationwide survey had shown there was enough grass and the main issues were with in-bye land; however stakeholders responded that the quality of hill grass was the problem.

14.21 Milk recorders said to do a farm one afternoon and the following morning, so request not to be banned from doing two farms in one day - CVO was asked for some flexibility on this and said it would be looked at.

15. The Cabinet Secretary brought the meeting to a close by saying that everyone in the government is well aware of the difficulties and understands that the crucial point for industry is in the next two weeks. He said that officials were working hard and that there were more relaxations on restrictions coming tonight and in the next couple of days. The point that there is cause for optimism was re-iterated.

Next Meetings

Stakeholders were asked to pencil in early afternoon on Tuesday 21 August, and on Friday 24 August, but to be advised nearer these dates.

Scottish Executive Rural Directorate

15 August 2007

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