Foot & Mouth: Regional Partners Agree Action Plan
16 October 2007
A further review meeting has been held with regional partners by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to agree areas of short and long-term action in response to the economic, social and environmental implications of Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) in the South East.
The joint meeting involved: Government Office for the South East (GOSE), Sustainable Farming and Food Board for the South East, DEFRA, the English Beef and Lamb Executive, Country Land Association, the National Farmers Union, and the Local Disease Control Centre (LDCC) at Guildford.
The meeting agreed that action should be aimed at protecting and enhancing the region’s significant rural economic and environmental assets. The South East has outstanding lowland landscapes which depend on livestock grazing, and a high-quality food offer for local and European markets.
These advantages of the South East are at risk in both the short and long term by the economic and social consequences of animal disease, a threat increased by globalisation and the impact of climate change. The partners agreed that as well as action in the short term to help businesses recover from the effect of FMD and movement bans, an analysis should be done of the long-term pressures on land management and land-based businesses.
A SEEDA package of action will be announced very shortly.
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