The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) reacted angrily to the UK government’s decision to stop disinfection work on farms hit by foot-and-mouth disease in order to review costs. The suspension was first thought to affect future clean-up operations, but the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (previously known as MAFF) has now ordered all cleaning operations to stop, even those in progress. The NFU estimated that this will affect around 6,000 more farms than initially thought.

Attempts by the UK government to paint the picture that the disease is under control are undermined by a daily statement of new cases that continue to emerge. The disease continues to cast a long shadow over the farming community and associated industries.

The review of the disinfection policy is expected to last two weeks, but Ben Gill, president of the NFU, described the situation as "shambolic" and said that farmers were beginning to become concerned about delays in the usual autumn movement of animals - necessary to ease pressure on farms that are already full to bursting.