Disease zone split frees up cattle

There are still some movement restrictions on sheep

Northern parts of Powys have been waking up to a downgraded disease status after government officials decided to reclassify the county.

Some areas will now be classed as "at risk" from foot-and-mouth instead of at "high risk."

Last week, Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Carwyn Jones led a delegation to Defra headquarters in London to say it was unfair that areas free of the disease were still subject to movement restrictions.

Crisis in Wales

Total confirmed cases UK-wide 2,013 - with 118 in Wales

Powys - 78 cases

Anglesey - 13 cases

Monmouthshire - 21 cases

Caerphilly - 2

Rhondda Cynon Taff - 1

Neath Port Talbot -1

Newport - 3

The decision to split the county up means some farmers can enjoy more freedom in moving cattle and pigs from Monday.

But farming leaders have maintained demands for compensation to those still unable to move animals.

Brecon has carried the brunt of Powys's 78 cases - a geographical quirk which meant farmers in other areas were hamstrung by Defra restrictions.

The county has itself seen by far the most number of disease outbreaks in Wales, with the virus making a comeback in August before further testing programmes began to control the spread.

'First step'

Brecon and Radnor MP Roger Williams said: "The case the Powys delegation put forward for changes to the new rules was very strong.

"However, this must only be the first step in getting the rest of Radnorshire and north Breconshire downgraded.

"There is no justification for maintaining the high risk designation for these areas, which have not seen a case of foot-and-mouth disease for many months."

Carwyn Jones helped broker the deal

He maintained it was essential that farmers left in the "high risk" areas, who have had to send their stock to a welfare cull, get increased payments.

Restrictions will remain on all farmers wanting to move sheep out of the area until the results of sheep serology testing are known.

But those testing procedures are being speeded up and Carwyn Jones said he was hopeful north Powys could achieve full, disease-free status within a month if results are negative.

'Massive restrictions'

Hugh Richards of the National Farmers Union in Wales said: "The new measures do not go as far as we had hoped.

"Sheep farmers will still be massively restricted by the controls. The priority is to eradicate the disease but we cannot allow farmers to be driven out of business in the process.

"With normal trading unable to take place, fair compensation rates must be available."

Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales is due to meet farmers who helped during the foot-and-mouth crisis while on a visit to the Territorial Army in Pembrokeshire.