NFU President Ben Gill told the EU investigation into foot and mouth disease yesterday that co-ordinated global scanning is needed to provide an "early disease warning system".

Giving evidence to the European Parliament's Temporary Committee on foot and mouth disease in Strasbourg, he said: "Countries and continents need to co-operate if they are to protect themselves against diseases like foot and mouth in future.

"Diseases like this know no boundaries. It is important that predictive modelling and surveillance is used to provide a detailed an up-to-date picture of infectious diseases around the globe as they occur and develop.

"It is vital that there is co-ordination so that we are not caught off guard again."