Foot and mouth - five years on

One of the major players in the NFU's battle against the devastating foot and mouth outbreak of 2001 says the industry has moved on but that the effect of the disease on rural life in the West Midlands must never be forgotten.

Shropshire farmer Arthur Hill - who was NFU West Midlands regional board chairman at the time of the outbreak - was reflecting today (Feb 20) on the fifth anniversary of the start of the disease.

And Mr Hill added that he accepted the government was a little better prepared for a major animal disease epidemic now than it was when found badly wanting by the extremely virulent strain of the disease that blighted the countryside in 2001.

"Farming has certainly moved on in many respects since the outbreak but at no stage must we forget the effect that it had on farming families and associated rural industries," said Mr Hill, who farms at Much Wenlock.

"The disease had a devastating effect on the countryside with the closure of footpaths and its knock-on effects on rural tourism not to mention the emotional and financial heartache experienced by so many in the countryside.

"These days we have got a much better understanding of animal disease and animal movement although I wonder how the country would cope logistically for a major disease outbreak now than it was five years ago.

"The government needs to be doing far more to stop imports of potentially infected meat coming in to this country - one only has to question the number of sniffer dogs at ports of entry throughout the UK compared with elsewhere. In Sydney, Australia, for instance they have 36 dogs patrolling the port of entry.

"We also need to remember the poor people who were on Form D notices which prevented animal movements and effectively paralysed thousands of farm businesses.

"These people suffered great emotional and financial hardship and the farming industry had to live with its practices being under extremely close public scrutiny.

"The NFU helped considerably to assist those who suffered to get back into farming again in the months that followed but we need the government to carry out fully the recommendations of the inquiries that followed afterwards and I'm not convinced that they have done.

"Farmers are very resilient and the farming industry still feels a debt of gratitude to thank members of the public for their support during the whole foot and mouth outbreak and I just hope that we never see another one again."

Mr Hill also pointed out that farmers whose stock were infected during the 2001 outbreak had had their livestock compulsorily purchased by the government for slaughter, rather than the populist myth that they had received compensation.