NFU in urgent call for virus vaccine
19 November 2001
NFU in urgent call for virus vaccine
By FWi staff
FARMERS leader Ben Gill is calling for urgent government investment to develop a new vaccine to combat foot-and-mouth disease.
Mr Gill, who has in the past opposed vaccination against the disease, told BBC Radio there is a need for worldwide research to develop a vaccine.
The Radio 4 Foot-and-mouth Inquiry examines how the foot-and-mouth outbreak escalated into a national crisis costing the taxpayer a fortune.
Two of BBC Radio 4s best-known programmes join forces again to investigate the real story of the 2001 foot-and-mouth crisis.
Farming Today and You and Yours stage a public inquiry into the key issues are taking from key players in the foot-and-mouth story.
Other experts include Countryside Minister Elliot Morley, Hugh Pennington, Ian Mercer and Alex Birtwhistle.
Professor Pennington of Aberdeen University chaired an inquiry into the 1996 E.Coli outbreak of in central Scotland.
He is an adviser to the Food Standards Agency in Scotland.
Professor Mercer is secretary general of the Association of National Park Authorities. He chaired the Devon public inquiry into foot-and-mouth.
Brigadier Birtwhistle organised the Governments foot-and-mouth slaughter and disposal strategy in Cumbria earlier this year.
The Radio 4 Foot-and-mouth Inquiry is at 12 noon on Monday (19 November).
A second programme, Call You and Yours, will be devoted to your responses to the programme at 12.30pm on Tuesday (20 November).
You can call 0870 010 0444 – lines will be open from 10.00am.