Farmers face clean-up crackdown

The disinfection scheme resumed last week

The government has warned it is to clamp down on farmers who are ignoring the strict hygiene rules designed to stamp out foot-and-mouth.

Trading standards officers in North Yorkshire have discovered more than 150 breaches of disinfection procedures since rules were introduced last week.

A major operation to enforce farm hygiene rules was launched around the town of Thirsk in the so-called bio-security zone.

We now need to take a harder line

Elliot Morley
Rural affairs minister

There are fears that the disease could spread to nearby pig farms.

But trading standards officers found a number of farmers who have been failing to comply.

More than one in 10 vehicles stopped in spot checks had not been cleaned properly.

'Unacceptable'

Eighty farms out of 1,100 inspected did not have the right facilities for disinfection.

Other breaches included farms without foot washes outside entrance gates or buckets full of mud or the wrong chemicals.

Disease facts

Total: 1,936

New cases Wednesday: 5

Slaughtered: 3,701,000

Awaiting slaughter: 18,000

Awaiting disposal: 3,000

The National Farmers Union says the findings are unacceptable, and believes there is no excuse for failing to observe the rules.

Rural affairs minister Elliot Morley said anyone driving vehicles on and off farms in the hotspot area, who failed to observe the strict biosecurity rules would face prosecution.

"The majority of farmers and those who work with livestock in the Thirsk area have worked very hard to comply with strict biosecurity measures to stop the spread of foot-and-mouth disease," he said.

"But I am determined that the minority who are flouting these important measures do not endanger the majority."

He said infringements were initially treated with advice and warnings.

"In future farmers and drivers who fail to comply with the biosecurity requirements are likely to be reported for prosecution."

Critical procedures

The maximum penalty under the Animal Health Act on conviction in a magistrates court is a fine of £5,000.

Stephen Hunter, from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), said he hoped farmers were not getting complacent.

He said farmers may be tired and exhausted by the disinfection procedures but it was "absolutely critical" that they continued to carry them out.

"It is clear to everybody that the disease is still there and we are still dealing with active disease," he told BBC News 24.

"We are asking them to be persistent and consistent at it."

There have been 1,936 cases of foot-and-mouth across the UK, with 3,701,000 animals slaughtered.

The latest three cases of the disease reported on Tuesday have been in North Yorkshire.

New security zone

The disinfection scheme to rid farms in England and Wales of foot-and-mouth resumed last week after being halted by the government amid concerns over escalating costs.

Defra has also announced a new foot-and-mouth security zone in Cumbria because of the risk of the disease returning to areas given the all-clear.

The measures will control the movements of people and vehicles visiting farms in a 100-square-mile area, from Penrith to Tebay in the south and east to Brough.

Police and council patrols in the affected zone will stop anyone ignoring the strict guidelines and order them to report to disinfecting points.