Welsh meet over farm virus fears

15 June 2001



Welsh meet over farm virus fears

By FWi staff

WELSH farmers are being urged to attend a mass meeting to quiz politicians and state vets about persistent rumours of an imminent mass sheep cull.

The rally, arranged by the National Farmers Union Cymru-Wales, is at 7.30pm on Monday (18 June) at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells.

It will also provide an opportunity to air dissatisfaction over delayed foot-and-mouth compensation and slow payments to farmers involved in carcass disposals.

The NFU believes it is time to confront rumours that a large number of animals are to be killed because foot-and-mouth has become endemic in Powys.

Officials have denied suggestions that a mass cull is imminent but many farmers awaiting foot-and-mouth tests on their sheep are deeply concerned.

There have been 92 confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth in Wales, 54 of them in Powys. No new cases of the disease have been confirmed for over a fortnight.