DEFRA’s foot and mouth double standards

The continued suspension of markets, shows and the imposition of a 20-day standstill on all movements has left me vexed.

On the one hand the EU is, from this weekend, allowing all UK livestock from outside the surveillance zone to be exported to the EU. This means they are able to travel across Europe, mixing with European animals left, right and centre and, were it appropriate, attend any show, sale or market held on the Continent.

On the other, DEFRA is still imposing a ban on markets, shows and other gatherings of livestock in England (thankfully the devolved administrations have seen sense). So, our animals are healthy enough to mix with their European counterparts, but not to mix with each other. Talk about a shambles, someone at DEFRA and its quite probably the chief vet, Debbie Reynolds, needs to get real and give English farmers the chance to make a living

This current situation is ridiculous and something must be done immediately.