Sir, One year ago the farming community was coming to terms with the news that foot-and-mouth had been diagnosed on a farm in Surrey. It quickly became apparent that the disease had escaped from a government research centre at Pirbright, finally being traced to a drainage system in disrepair after years of underinvestment by the Government. Thankfully, due in no small part to the professional and responsible attitude of livestock keepers, this contagious disease was confined to a very small area.

The outbreak had a catastrophic effect on the UK livestock sector with sales decimated at the busiest time of the year. There was no export of lambs for six months, causing a collapse in the market price. The cost to the industry is estimated to be in excess of £100 million.

However, 12 months on there is no sign of any compensation for farmers other than the paltry sum paid to those who had the trauma of seeing their animals killed, for most a lifetime’s work taken away in hours. The National Farmers’ Union is pursuing a compensation case that will probably go on for years. Meanwhile, Defra officials give the response: “It is a long-established principal that the Government does not meet the costs of indirect or consequential losses, which must be borne by the industry”.

It is a disgrace that the Government fails to acknowledge its culpability and compensate farmers for their losses, a drop in the ocean when compared with what it has subsequently spent in rescuing Northern Rock.

Mike Giffin
NFU Chairman for Surrey

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