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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Farmers meet over foot-and-mouth | Farmers meet over foot-and-mouth |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Farming unions are meeting the Welsh Assembly Government in the wake of the UK-wide foot-and-mouth disease restrictions. | Farming unions are meeting the Welsh Assembly Government in the wake of the UK-wide foot-and-mouth disease restrictions. |
| A UK-wide ban on moving livestock was brought in late on Friday after a case at a farm in Guildford, Surrey. | |
| Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said there would be other talks with the Environment Agency, local councils and other agencies. | Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said there would be other talks with the Environment Agency, local councils and other agencies. |
| Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones has flown back from a New Zealand holiday. | Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones has flown back from a New Zealand holiday. |
| She has been attending the government's Cobra emergency committees on Sunday and Monday. | She has been attending the government's Cobra emergency committees on Sunday and Monday. |
| "My top priority at the moment is that Wales remains disease free," Ms Jones said. | "My top priority at the moment is that Wales remains disease free," Ms Jones said. |
| People have been urged to continue visiting the countryside as normal | People have been urged to continue visiting the countryside as normal |
| "It's important that all the restrictions that have been put in place and all the precautions are implemented here in Wales." | "It's important that all the restrictions that have been put in place and all the precautions are implemented here in Wales." |
| She said she wanted to see the restrictions on moving live-stock lifted as quickly as possible but added that she would not do anything which would jeopardise the future of the Welsh livestock industry. | She said she wanted to see the restrictions on moving live-stock lifted as quickly as possible but added that she would not do anything which would jeopardise the future of the Welsh livestock industry. |
| The ban on moving cows , sheep and pigs means farmers are not able to sell any livestock or take them to abattoirs. | The ban on moving cows , sheep and pigs means farmers are not able to sell any livestock or take them to abattoirs. |
| But Ms Jones said she wanted to minimise the damage to the economy adding that "Wales and rural Wales was open for business". | But Ms Jones said she wanted to minimise the damage to the economy adding that "Wales and rural Wales was open for business". |
| "Rural Wales is there for people to enjoy," said the deputy first minister. | "Rural Wales is there for people to enjoy," said the deputy first minister. |
| ADVICE FOR FARMERS Defra Helpline: 0845 9335577Animal Health Offices - Caernarfon: 01286 674144 Carmarthen: 01267 245400; 07000 780144 (eve)Cardiff: 029 20 768500 Welsh assembly website | ADVICE FOR FARMERS Defra Helpline: 0845 9335577Animal Health Offices - Caernarfon: 01286 674144 Carmarthen: 01267 245400; 07000 780144 (eve)Cardiff: 029 20 768500 Welsh assembly website |
| "The contingency plan provides for footpaths to be closed only on a local basis in the vicinity of any disease outbreak," he said. | "The contingency plan provides for footpaths to be closed only on a local basis in the vicinity of any disease outbreak," he said. |
| Dai Davies, president of NFU Cymru, said he would thank the assembly and Defra at Monday's meeting for their "quick reaction". | Dai Davies, president of NFU Cymru, said he would thank the assembly and Defra at Monday's meeting for their "quick reaction". |
| He said: "It's something the industry takes on the chin but from there on we'll be gleaning more information about where we're going forward - to find relief for the industry, to see if there is a way that some people can get animals to abattoir and if there's a way forward." | He said: "It's something the industry takes on the chin but from there on we'll be gleaning more information about where we're going forward - to find relief for the industry, to see if there is a way that some people can get animals to abattoir and if there's a way forward." |
| "It all depends how long the standstill goes on for. I think every farmer in the UK accepts if you take a bit of pain up front we might get out of this quicker." | "It all depends how long the standstill goes on for. I think every farmer in the UK accepts if you take a bit of pain up front we might get out of this quicker." |
| Meanwhile, the South Wales Sheepdog Association have cancelled trials at Builth Wells on Monday and Tuesday and Cwmowen in Powys on Wednesday. | Meanwhile, the South Wales Sheepdog Association have cancelled trials at Builth Wells on Monday and Tuesday and Cwmowen in Powys on Wednesday. |
| Show cancelled | Show cancelled |
| Cardigan livestock market, which would normally expect to sell 400 cattle, will not be open on Monday and a rams sale at Builth Wells has also been cancelled. | Cardigan livestock market, which would normally expect to sell 400 cattle, will not be open on Monday and a rams sale at Builth Wells has also been cancelled. |
| Over the weekend some agricultural events like the Gower Show and Whitland market in Carmarthenshire were cancelled as restrictions on moving livestock were imposed. | Over the weekend some agricultural events like the Gower Show and Whitland market in Carmarthenshire were cancelled as restrictions on moving livestock were imposed. |
| One auctioneer, Huw Evans from Carmarthenshire, said: "August and September are big months for sheep sales. Many producers will be dependent on getting rams there to put them to work with the flocks. | One auctioneer, Huw Evans from Carmarthenshire, said: "August and September are big months for sheep sales. Many producers will be dependent on getting rams there to put them to work with the flocks. |
| "It will delay lambing next year - it throws the whole farming programme out of the window." | "It will delay lambing next year - it throws the whole farming programme out of the window." |
| Edwin Harris, who farms at Libanus near Brecon, lost his stock in the 2001 outbreak, which saw 20,000 sheep slaughtered in the Brecon Beacons alone. | Edwin Harris, who farms at Libanus near Brecon, lost his stock in the 2001 outbreak, which saw 20,000 sheep slaughtered in the Brecon Beacons alone. |
| "We're entering a trading season in farming for selling sheep and cattle, there are specialised ewe sales, all these hang in the balance - everything's on stop," he said. | "We're entering a trading season in farming for selling sheep and cattle, there are specialised ewe sales, all these hang in the balance - everything's on stop," he said. |
| "There's a great deal of uncertainty and the faster we can move, the better." | "There's a great deal of uncertainty and the faster we can move, the better." |