Thousands receive latest FMD and Bluetongue bulletins

While efforts to communicate the latest developments in the complex and fast-moving Foot and Mouth Disease and Bluetongue crises are hampered by the ongoing postal strike, the NFU is reminding people they can still sign up to receive text messages informing them of the latest developments, as well as the NFU's daily FMD and Bluetongue e-mail updates.

NFU head of membership Huw Hilditch Roberts said: "The NFU remains fully engaged in working to ensure the eradication of both FMD and Bluetongue. Our main priorities are to:

• fight on all fronts for livestock producers

• achieve early relaxation of movement restrictions

• restore markets

• And see full and fair compensation for the decimation caused to large sectors of our industry.

"We aim to keep everyone, from members on the ground, through to NFU staff, industry stakeholders and decision-makers informed of the latest developments relating to disease status, easing of movement restrictions and export decisions but this has been made more difficult in recent days by the postal strike.

"However thousands of NFU members are now receiving our e-mail and text message updates and we have received good feedback telling us how pleased people are to be able to get hold of the facts as they emerge. I would encourage anyone who would welcome text message or e-mail updates to sign up for the service."