Second case of FMD confirmed
07/08/2007
The UK government has confirmed a second case of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) within its declared protection zone on a farm in Surrey, 60 kilometres south of London. It established the protection zone immediately after confirming a first case of the disease on a neighbouring farm on August 3.
The results of tests to confirm the cause of the outbreak should become available today; a research laboratory that produces FMD vaccines, which is close to the two farms, could be the source.
The UK Leather Federation has been monitoring the situation closely. Director Paul Pearson told Leatherbiz that the industry faced three possible consequences. He said there could be some short-term disruption to slaughter levels because the government has imposed a ban on the movement of all ruminants and pigs except under licence. There are also strict controls on the movement of animal carcasses, on animal gatherings, shearing and dipping.
Mr Pearson said this should have little impact, though, because the beginning of August is a quiet period anyway.
He said some disruption to international trade in hides and skins was also possible as importing countries could decide not to take material from the UK, although the system for exporting hides, skins and leather is designed to guarantee against the risk of FMD. One of the immediate steps the government took was to issue on August 4 a list of products that would be subject to an international trade ban while the situation becomes clearer. The list includes animal hides and skins from “susceptible species”. The government has suspended all relevant export health certificates.
Mr Pearson said the UK Leather Federation also had a role to play in reassuring the public that leather and leather goods carry no risk from the disease. FMD pathogens cannot withstand the high alkaline and low acidic pH levels or the high temperatures that leather is exposed to during the tanning process.
One senior figure in the UK tanning industry, Mike Dodd, marketing director of Pittards, told Leatherbiz that the UK Leather Federation was doing a good job of keeping member companies informed of the situation.
He commented: “Our initial reaction is that this is scarcely good news, but we hope that the outbreak can be contained and that we can get back to normality as soon as possible.”
Share this story:
