Bluetongue zone farmers push for greater freedom to trade

Farmers caught in the bluetongue protection zone say government must give them more freedom to trade or they will struggle to survive the winter.

Producers within the zone are reaching desperation point because they are unable to market their animals, move animals to slaughter outside of the zone or get sheep to winter grazing.

Alternative solutions – either extending the zone so it covers the whole of the UK or relaxing the rules so animals can go to slaughter outside the zone – were discussed at length at NFU council on Monday (10 October).

NFU president Peter Kendall told members he was “fully aware of the crisis facing the livestock sector” and that discussions were taking place with DEFRA to identify measures that would address the situation.

“We are working to reassure those outside the bluetongue protection zone that they should not fear the movement of stock to slaughter from within the protection zone area,” said Mr Kendall.

Speaking at a press conference last week (5 October), deputy chief veterinary officer Fred Landeg said DEFRA had no plans to declare England or Great Britain a Bluetongue Protection Zone based on the current status of the outbreak.
 
Mr Landeg said the current control and protection zones would remain in place until the end of summer 2008 at the earliest and only the confirmation of new cases would force the government to review the existing restrictions.

By the end of 9 Oct there were 34 confirmed premises affected by bluetongue.

“The restrictions will have to remain in place for sometime,” he said. “Even if we are lucky enough to have a harsh winter we still have to demonstrate disease free status.” Due to the breeding season of the midge it will not be possible to do this before the end of next summer.

Thomas Binns, NFU livestock board chairman, said: “Bluetongue is wreaking havoc with the trade because many of the people unable to move stock in that zone traditionally buy Mule running lambs to take through to shearlings. At present they are unable to sell the sheep they bought last year as lambs, so aren’t in the market to buy any more.”

But most worrying though was the lack of speed at which DEFRA was making decisions on bluetongue, said Mr Binns.

“Bluetongue is an economic disease of the industry and DEFRA needs to listen to industry in the decision making process. At the moment decisions are being made a too slow a pace and are being held up by the regulatory process of government. This has to change for there to be any hope in the livestock sector.”

Several hundred farmers are expected to gather at Ashford market, Kent at 4pm Wednesday afternoon (10 October) to get the latest information on the outbreak and to highlight the problems they are facing.

Meanwhile, Newark auctioneer Paul Gentry has also launched is urging farmers from across the country to spell out how the bluetongue protection zone is affecting them – in a bid to get it expanded to cover the UK.

Mr Gentry wants farmers to supply him with facts and figures on the implications of the current control zone in order to strengthen the case.