Cattle markets and shows resume

From Monday livestock will be passing through auction marts

Livestock markets and agricultural shows can be held again from Monday, subject to strict conditions.

Restrictions imposed in July after foot and mouth outbreaks in Surrey have been eased, subject to licences under the Animal Gatherings Order.

An Assembly committee has also announced it is to investigate the financial impact of the outbreak.

The assembly's finance committee will hear evidence from farmers' unions and assess what compensation might be due.

Committee chairman Alun Cairns AM said it would meet in the autumn and expected to hear evidence from farmers' unions, Meat Promotion Wales and the Livestock Auctioneers Association.

The figures will be out in the open and it'll be there for people to judge and decide Alun Cairns, Finance Committee

Speaking to BBC Wales, he said it will assess the financial impact of the outbreak and the potential effect of any compensation on the assembly's budget.

He said: "It's important now that the markets are opening at last, there's movement to establish what the real cost of foot-and-mouth has been here in Wales.

The ban on livestock markets for cattle, sheep and pigs outside the surveillance zone in Surrey was eased in England and Wales from 0001 BST on Monday.

Auctioneer Simon Jones, at Gaerwen market, said the move was a "step in the right direction".

He said: "We have fought quite hard to get ourselves back up and running as quickly as we have done.

"We realise that the foot-and-mouth epidemic must be resolved before we can get back on course but it is also important that the plan is in place [so] that we can start more or less straight away."

A surveillance zone is still in operation in Surrey

In Wales, Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, has announced all remaining foot-and-mouth regulations would be lifted by the middle of September.

Last week, she said livestock markets could go ahead on the condition there was "no change in the current disease position".

She added she could not "accurately" state when all restrictions would be removed.

Markets at Bryncir, Gwynedd, and Gaerwen on Anglesey are among those planned across Wales on Monday.

Details of the licence requirements for holding livestock markets, gatherings and shows are available on the Welsh Assembly Government's website.