MSP WELCOMES PRECAUTIONARY FOOT AND MOUTH MEASURES

SNP MSP Christine Grahame has welcomed the precautionary measures put in place in response to the confirmed outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease in Surrey.

Ms Grahame said:

"The last outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 2001 was devastating for farmers in the areas affected and was felt strongly in the Scottish Borders. It had knock-on effects for the whole industry, not to mention the wider economy.

"If a lesson was learned from 2001 then it was that reaction to a suspected outbreak has to be much quicker and I am pleased to see that, so far, it appears that that lesson has been learned by DEFRA.

"I welcome the swift action taken here in Scotland by Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead and I know that farmers will be supporting measures to contain the outbreak and will want to be extra vigilant in terms of their own biosecurity."

SNP It’s time.....