Tighter border controls would prevent foot-and-mouth

Foot-and-mouth was found on more than 130 farms in North Yorkshire

A former farmer's leader has told the BBC Britain's border controls should be tightened to prevent another foot-and-mouth outbreak.

The disease was found on 130 farms in North Yorkshire in 2001 and nationally six million animals were slaughtered.

Sir Ben Gill, who led the National Farmers Union (NFU) at the time said he's "not convinced" it couldn't happen again.

He said, "It would only take some carelessness to get it in again."

During 2001, warning signs and disinfectant trays at entrances to farms became familiar to all as foot-and-mouth ravaged the countryside.

Movement restrictions

The disease was first reported at an abattoir in Essex in February of 2001 and spread rapidly.

In North Yorkshire public footpaths and bridleways were closed as were the two national parks and movement restrictions were imposed on all livestock.

Sir Ben Gill, farms in North Yorkshire and was President of the National Farmers Union (NFU) during the outbreak, speaking to BBC Radio York he said:

"I am not absolutely convinced yet that our border controls are on a par with what we find elsewhere in the world. It just isn't good enough to say we are a trading nation.

"I remember visiting Australia late in 2001 and all my shoes were removed and returned to me in sealed bags and they'd all been scraped and disinfected.

"When you visit America you go through a separate channel if you declare you've been on a farm and you have to answer a thorough series of questions and are given the sixth degree.

Over six million animals had to be slaughtered during 2001

"You are also searched with again a lot of attention paid to your footwear."

Sir Ben admits that such stringent security measures may sound 'over the top' but he says people must reflect on what the cost was in 2001 not just financially but also emotionally.

"It's also important to remember it isn't just foot-and-mouth that we're facing. With our changing climate we're also facing a range of new diseases, both animal and plant, most recently of course being bird flu."

Lessons learnt

He also said he isn't convinced that vaccination on a major scale would prevent any outbreak from spreading due to the time lag between an animal being infected and showing the symptoms of the disease.

In the event of a fresh outbreak, Sir Ben says he hopes the lessons of 2001 will have been learnt.

In particular the need for people with experience of major logistical exercises to be put in charge.

"To put veterinary surgeons in charge the exercise, one that some have said was the largest peace time logistical exercise ever attempted in Britain, was really quite silly.

"It was very noticeable that once the army, who have experience in logistics, were put in charge, things did change.

"The time it took from diagnosis to slaughter dropped dramatically as did the time it took to dispose of animal carcasses.

"Things improved and the disease was stamped out far quicker than many had thought possible."