Farming Industry Devastated by New Foot and Mouth Outbreak

Farming Industry Devastated by New Foot and Mouth Outbreak

The diagnosis of a new outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease on a Surrey farm is a stunning blow for our farming community.

This comes just days after the Chief Medical Officer gave the all clear and lifted the Protection Zones put in place to control the August outbreak (see earlier post). It is a tragedy for British farmers just when meat prices were starting to recover.

According to this morning's Farming Today, the next 2 weeks are the busiest time of year for livestock farmers with most of the year's profit being made at the Autumn sales. It will also be very tough for them to cover the cost of winter feed for livestock that cannot be sold.

For the latest information on the outbreak and how it affects walkers, click on Foot and Mouth footpath closures.
See update...

Today's pub walk: The Dukes Head in Romsey, Hampshire.

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Foot and Mouth - Which Footpaths are Closed?

Foot and Mouth - Which Footpaths are Closed?

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) appear to have learnt some of the lessons of the Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2001. This time they are stressing that the countryside will generally remain open for business whilst footpaths and bridleways will only be closed if they present a real threat of spreading the disease.

Keeping up to date with this situation is important for walkers in affected areas but the position can change at short notice as press releases are being issued almost daily. For the latest news regarding footpath restrictions and countryside access, click on Foot and Mouth footpath closures.

Today's pub walk: The Mason's Arms in Marylebone, London.

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