FMD relief for Dales hill farmers

THE last remaining livestock movement restrictions brought in because of the foot and mouth outbreaks in the South East will be removed in the North on Wednesday, Oct 17, much to the relief of hill farmers in the Yorkshire Dales.

This is the time of the year when lambs born in the uplands are traditionally taken to market before scarce grazing runs out. With these movements banned, farmers faced potentially ruinous bills for bought-in feed.

Farmers and landowners let out a sigh of relief for the end of the restrictions - but severe damage has already been done in some sectors.

Douglas Chalmers, Northern director of the Country Land and Business Association, commented: "This certainly brings to relief to the industry. Farmers in the North have been angered and frustrated by the desperate financial damage done to their businesses as a result of disease at the other end of the country.

"This announcement sees a return of responsible management of risk balanced against the need to kick start an industry. We have been pressing Defra on this point and at last they seem to have listened. The movement restrictions have been causing real difficulties to livestock farmers in the region. This will also supply a little much needed confidence to the industry.

"However, much irreparable damage remains. Upland farmers and related industries have lost huge sums of money, and the meter is still running. Market prices, particularly in the sheep sector, are still very low and are unlikely to improve until the export market is fully open and functioning normally. This will not occur for some time yet."