Farmers facing new delays

Although restrictions on the movement of livestock have been relaxed, Shropshire farmers believe that it will still take some time to get back to normal.

Indeed, many say that they will not be able to take overdue animals to slaughter for at least another 24 hours as the clamour for abattoir space and haulage slots is likely to create a backlog in the system.

Martin Rowley, who has 500 pigs at Buttercross Farm, Market Drayton, said he should have taken 40 pigs to slaughter on Monday but he doubts whether he will be able to reach the abattoir until Monday.

"It's not quite as easy as moving a pallet load of jumpers from one place to another," he said.

"First we have to wait for the abattoir we use to get the go-ahead to open, then we have to try and find a slot with the haulage company because they have been doing other things while the ban has been in place, and then we have to prepare the animals.

"At the moment it looks like we'll be ready tomorrow morning, but it's not back to normal by any means."

Whitchurch farmer Simon Latter said: "It's a step in the right direction but this is by no means a green light for life to get back to normal."

He said the next step under discussion was to introduce arrangements that would allow animals to be moved on welfare grounds, subject to appropriate safeguards.

Butcher Sean Nyhan, who runs shops in Shrewsbury and Oswestry, said it did not take long for people to feel the pinch.

"It goes to show that if our farmers are struggling the knock-on effects are enormous throughout the whole chain," he said.

"They have had extra feed costs and the animals will have put on more fat which will have some effect on price."

MEP Neil Parish, chairman of the European Parliament's agriculture committee, said: "This outbreak has been a body blow for British farming and it is imperative we get cattle moving as soon as it is safe to do so.

"The European Union was right to take a cautious approach to this outbreak in the beginning, but farmers will question the decision of the EU standing committee to put off meeting again for another fortnight.

"The European Commission has to balance safety concerns against the long-term damage this export ban is causing the whole agricultural industry in Britain, and I think the committee should review the situation again in a week at the latest."