Brown discusses farmers' compensation

Experts hope the outbreak has been contained

Farming leaders are meeting Agriculture Minister Nick Brown to discuss compensation for pig farmers hit by the swine fever outbreak.

Representatives from the National Farmers Union, National Pig Association and the Meat and Livestock Commission have been attending the meeting in London.

Mr Brown has already pledged to help farmers directly hit by the outbreak, but the meeting is also discussing those farms indirectly hit by the crisis.

The export ban on live British pigs was lifted in all areas except for parts of East Anglia, by European Union officials on Tuesday.

Timetable of the swine fever outbreak

8 August - 3,500 pigs in Suffolk to be destroyed.

9 August - Restrictions on two farms in Essex and Norfolk.

10 August - Two more farms in Essex and Norfolk hit.

11 August - Almost 6,000 pigs slaughtered. Belgium bans English pig imports.

12 August - 3,500 slaughtered. Two more farms affected. Belgium, Spain and Netherlands embargo live pig imports.

18 August - Restrictions on 35 suspect farms. Disease confirmed at five East Anglian farms, 12,000 slaughtered.

21 August - Four more farms cleared.

22 August - EU lifts export ban for most counties

It will remain in force for pigs originating from Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk until 15 September, but has been lifted from all other areas with immediate effect.

The EU ban on the export of live pigs and pig semen was imposed after an outbreak of classical swine fever was confirmed on five farms in East Anglia.

But the government acted swiftly to try to contain the outbreak.

Four more farms have been declared disease-free by scientists, bringing the total number of farms cleared since the start of the outbreak to seven.

Tests are still ongoing at around 30 more farms and other suspected cases may be reported.

Tests at two farms in Suffolk, one in Kent and one in Lincolnshire proved negative, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Mr Brown said there was no justification for Brussels to ban British pork and bacon following the UK's first outbreak of swine fever for 14 years.

He said the EU's reaction to the outbreak so far had been "reasonable and proportionate" and urged it to continue to be fair to British farmers.

Asian wild boar illegally imported into Britain is thought to be a source of the highly contagious disease.