THE environment and rural affairs department Defra has accepted criticism of its handling of the 2007 outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Surrey – but farmers and landowners are anxious that the lessons learned must be put into action in any future outbreak.

Although affecting only a handful of firms, the Pirbright outbreak caused national outrage because it started in a government-owned veterinary science lab where sewage pipes had not been properly maintained after Government budget cuts.

And its effects were felt some 250 miles away in the Yorkshire Dales because livestock markets were closed down throughout the country: the mart at Hawes was said to have lost more than £1 million in just two days.

Defra has accepted criticism just published after an 18-mionht-long enquiry into the outbreak – but members of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) are insisting that lessons learned must be out into action swiftly in any future outbreak.

CLA Yorkshire Regional Director Dorothy Fairburn said: “Although the 2007 outbreak was effectively contained, the economic implications of these measures were disproportionately savage for large parts of the livestock industry throughout the country.

“Any future risk assessments should also be aware of the bigger picture and, while Defra seems to accept this, it must be put into practice. “Consulting regionally and utilising local knowledge is also an important factor as failure to do this in Yorkshire was an early complaint during the 2001 outbreak.

“Also, as rapid and accurate communication is also vital in such situations and Defra increasingly insists on using the internet to do so, does this mean that Government will also step up the urgent provision of rural broadband?”