OBEs for foot-and-mouth scientists
31 December 2001
OBEs for foot-and-mouth scientists
By Johann Tasker
SCIENTISTS involved in the fight against foot-and-mouth disease dominate the farming-related awards in the New Year Honours list.
Neil Ferguson, Bryan Grenfell and Mark Woolhouse all received OBEs in the honours list which was published on Monday (31 December).
Prof Ferguson, from Imperial College London, helped construct a computer model which predicted the spread of the foot-and-mouth epidemic.
Zoology expert Dr Grenfell worked with colleagues from Cambridge University on a separate foot-and-mouth study published last October.
The study concluded that prompt culling was more effective at tackling a widespread foot-and-mouth epidemic than vaccination.
Prof Woolhouse, from Edinburgh University, was among scientists who warned that moving livestock threatened to prolong the crisis.
Announcing the awards, Prime Minister Tony Blair said the New Year Honours focused on people who “work at the sharp end”.
Other notable honours included Matt Twidale, chairman of the National Farmers Union Sugar Beet Committee, who received an MBE.
NFU Council member and Cumbrian sheep farmer Peter Allen was made an MBE for services to hill farming.
The full list for people in agriculture, food, environment and associated industries in England and Wales is as follows:
Terence Patrick Leahy, Chief Executive, Tesco plc, for services to food retailing.
Graham John Melmoth, Chief Executive Group (CWS) Ltd for services to the retail industry.
James Michael Rutter, Chief Executive, Veterinary Medicines Directorate and Director of Veterinary Medicines, DEFRA.
James Strachan Cruickshank, seed potato grower, for services to the potato industry.
Mrs Bridget Drew, lately director, ADAS Consulting Ltd, for services to the dairy industry.
Professor Neil Ferguson, for services to epidemiology and the control of infectious diseases.
Dr Bryan Grenfell, for services to epidemiology and the control of infectious diseases.
Alexander John Rennie Izat, Chairman, Moredun Research Institute, for services to agriculture.
Ian Duncan Robertson MacNicol, for services to the Country Land Owners Association and to agriculture in Norfolk.
Andrew John Parker, Chairman, British Egg Industry Council, for services to the egg industry.
Mrs Ann Margaret Waters, DEFRA.
John Graham Wood, for services to the Food and Drink Federation and to food safety.
Lawrence Woodward, Director, Elm Farm Research Centre, for services to organic farming.
Professor Mark Edward John Woolhouse, Chair of Veterinary Public Health and Quantitative Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, for services to the control of infectious diseases.
John Peter Allen, farmer, for services to Hill Farming.
Hugh Turton Clark, sheep farmer, for services to the sheep industry in Suffolk.
Lionel James Hill, for services to the Young Farmers Movement.
Andrew Bennett Ingram, farmer, for services to the Henley and District Agricultural Association, Oxfordshire.
Paul Cyril Johnson, Senior Countryside Officer, Countryside Agency, for services to the rural environment.
William King, for services to ploughing.
Matthew Edward Twidale, farmer, for services to the Sugar Beet Industry and to the National Farmers Union.
Mrs Jennifer Wilkinson, for services to agriculture and to the community in Cumbria.
Kevin Ian Wilson, Facilities Manger, Citex, for services to agriculture.