Market reopens for trade
A Powys livestock market will open for business next week - nearly a month after it was forced to close its doors due to the foot and mouth outbreak.
A Powys livestock market will open for business next week - nearly a month after it was forced to close its doors due to the foot and mouth outbreak.
The livestock site in Welshpool is holding a "green market" on Monday.
Livestock will be on sale for movement between farmers but there will be no animals taken directly to slaughter because of continuing restrictions placed by the Welsh Assembly.
Livestock markets for cattle, sheep and pigs will be allowed to resume as the Government further eases movement restrictions on animals following the foot and mouth outbreak in Surrey. Animals susceptible to the disease can also be taken to shows from Monday under the new relaxed regulations, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said today.
The new rules apply to all areas of England and Wales outside the surveillance zone near Guildford, Surrey, where cattle on two farms were diagnosed with the highly contagious disease earlier this month.
Chief Veterinary Officer Debby Reynolds said: "Having considered carefully a veterinary risk assessment of allowing animals to move to livestock markets and agricultural shows, I have concluded that these can start from Monday."
Keith Davies, an auctioneer at the market in Smithfield Road, said: "We absolutely welcome the Welsh Assembly's decision. We are pretty well back to where we were before.
"There are still a few conditions to do with cleaning and disinfecting but that may come off by Monday.
"We are fighting every angle of bureaucracy. The gates will be open from 6am and the market starts at 10am."