HELP PACK FOR FARMERS

Suggested Steps to Prevent Slaughter of Healthy Stock 

  1. If you are in a Foot and Mouth area, BE PREPARED knowledge and information are powerful tools. Be aware of your rights and prepare ahead
    1. get a solicitor,
    2. get exact knowledge of what local outbreaks are confirmed and which premises are being culled,
    3. organise some local people, friends, family, neighbours who will be prepared to rally round and witness for you preferably with video camera or camera or tape recorder (or even a notebook!)
    4. Contact your local help number

 

  1. If you are served with an A notice, you must appeal. For advice contact a legal firms who are specialising in this (see contact list) or an experienced local solicitor. No farmer should allow himself to be intimidated into accepting a cull before his stock has been inspected, and before his Appeal has been determined.

 

  1. On arrival of any official(s), politely demand production of all MAFF representatives authority and qualifications in writing; and verifiable certification that all such persons have not been in contact with any animals anywhere during the previous 72 hours. N.B. EVEN if farmers consider taking compensation, they may not get what they expect ! Allegedly Maff are going through claims with a fine tooth comb and reducing payments significantly. Claims are also being held up, sometimes seemingly indefinitely. What sometimes seems to happen is the valuers, being locals, either volunteer or are persuaded to bump up the valuation figure. Result - farmer looks at the figure & sees big £££ & early retirement. BUT, Maff know this is happening and are inspecting some/all claims & reducing them to base levels.

    Also, farmers are being mislead ref the saleability of their arable crop. Mixed farms (animals & crops) are being persuaded to cull because a long period of quarantine with movement restrictions wld mean they cdnt tend their crops, resulting in big £££losses, so they cull in the hope that restrictions are removed quickly, allowing them to get on with their work.

 

  1. Insist that all MAFF officials wear clean full protective clothing and boots, masks, and disinfect themselves fully in the presence of the farmer/owner.

 

  1. Insist on comprehensive Risk Assessment for animals in question. This must cover all factors eg;

 

    1. Whether the farm is contiguous to infected premises
    2. distance between the livestock units on the two farms
    3. Whether livestock are housed
    4. Whether there has been any contact within infected animals,
    5. time elapsed since that outbreak,
    6. Bio-security measures taken by the farmer
    7. blood tests,
    8. wind direction and prevailing winds,
    9. habitat,
    10. location,
    11. exposure to vehicle and human movement,
    12. animal resistance levels,
    13. whether the livestock are pedigree or from a rare breed

 

 

  1. Insist on independent veterinary inspection if there is any doubt, or suspicion of symptoms. If threatened by MAFF, demand that their threats are confirmed in writing.

  2. Record all contact/discussions with MAFF, preferably with Video or tape-recorder, and accompanied by friend(s) to provide eye-witness evidence. Refuse entry if the time is unreasonable (before 8am or after 6pm ). Get names.

  3. Be prepared to challenge MAFF authority and demands to slaughter, insisting on reasons in writing if animals are healthy.

 

 

  1. Insist on your own specialist valuer AND do NOT allow the valuer in AT ALL unless you have decided that your animals ARE to be killed

 

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Remember, it is an offence to conceal or treat the symptoms of FMD infected Livestock.
It is not an offence to take precautions to prevent FMD. 

Legal Phone numbers

William Neville at Burgess Salmon 0117-939-2000
(Environment) Esther David at Burgess Salmon 0117-939-2000
(Scotland) Contact Alisdair Vryce on 01387 257272
'The Exeter Street Fighter for Farmers' Alayne Addy at Stephens-Scones 01392-210700

USEFUL LINKS

www.sheepdrove.com

www.cullmaff.care4free.net

www.farmtalking.com

www.whatareweswallowing.com

www.warmwell.com

www.merinosheep.co.uk

www.stoptheslaughter.co.uk

 

Emergency telephone numbers 

 

01361 850 282

01361 850 680

01291 623 573

0870 787 5265

01594 564 656

 

 

-------put yours here---

 

REMEMBER

The best support is what you can organise among your family, friends, neighbours and your local farming community. Your local helpline will be able to give you other contacts.

 

If you have no access to a computer and the Internet, see if one of your neighbours has.

 

There are many people offering specialist or general advice who can be accessed via your helpline or the computer. Legal advice and support is necessary.

 

Please pass all this information on to other farmers and small holders in your own community as this is the only way we can increase awareness.

 

 

Information About Vaccination 

There is a large amount of confusion about vaccination against Foot and Mouth Disease,
after extensive research the following facts have emerged.

1. Vaccination is effective but not perfect.

2. Vaccination takes effect a few days after animals are given one dose.

3. Vaccinated and diseased animals can be distinguished by a blood test, but a "marker" vaccine
(currently under development) will make this much easier.

4. There is no need to slaughter vaccinated animals.

Any acceptable vaccination policy would have to meet the following criteria:-

a. The animals do not have to be subsequently slaughtered.

b. Milk from vaccinated animals can be sold at the normal price.

c. Meat from vaccinated animals can be sold at the normal price.

d. Any compensation scheme must not discriminate against vaccinated animals.

e. The return to export status of GB farms is not unreasonably delayed compared to a slaughter policy.