WELSH farmers breathed a sigh of relief after Assembly Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones today announced the lifting at noon tomorrow of the remaining restrictions put in place to protect Wales from Foot and Mouth disease.
"After five weeks of terrible worry we can at last breath a sigh of relief but it will be impossible to recuperate the losses caused by the outbreak without pro-active assistance from the Westminster Government," said Farmers' Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan.
Miss Jones revealed the 20-day livestock movement standstill and other conditions relating to gatherings will be lifted in parallel with the lifting of the Surveillance Zone in Surrey.
The controls that applied prior to August 3 - when the outbreak was discovered in Surrey - will also be reinstated, she added.
Mr Vaughan said the past five weeks had been a difficult and damaging time for the Welsh agricultural industry.
"Nevertheless, I would like to pay tribute to the way everyone involved in Welsh farming circles responded so responsibly to the crisis.
"However, the two Government reports, published today, into the outbreak have raised many more questions than they have answered," he added.
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