The World Organisation for Animal health, the OIE, has reinstated the UK's foot and mouth disease-free status, almost seven months after the outbreak in August 2007. 
Locals watch the media camping outside the Institute of Animal Health, Pirbright, Surrey, with interest during the height of the crisis
Photo: Salina Christmas
The move reopens non-EU markets to exports of UK meat and livestock products, which are worth as much as £70m ($138m) annually. Trade with the EU has already resumed. The Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) says that its beef, sheep and pig meat teams are already visiting markets in Eastern Europe, South Africa and the Asia-Pacific regions.
"While some non-EU countries are content to reinstate trade with the UK on the strength of the OIE's declaration, others require more lengthy negotiations," says MLC international manager Peter Hardwick. "Personal visits can help to shorten the timescale." 
Animal Health and Safe Food Production
Published July 2007 › Table of content
› About the report
UK FMD: The chronicle
› FMD reappears in the UK
› Leaking drains blamed
› Podcast: Farm to fork
› Vaccination or slaughter?
› The HSE report
› Anger over 'own goal' infection
› Photo Gallery: Media scrutiny
› Merial Statements
› IAH Statements
› The disease explained
› Animal disease trends
› Cattle: Herd size and production
› Blog: Foot in mouth....
The infection in the UK was traced to a leak of the virus from the Surrey-based Pirbright facility, which is shared by the state-run Institute for Animal Health and pharmaceutical company Merial.
› Not a subscriber? Subscribe
› Sign up for free trial
› Blog: Down on the Pharm
Email a friend
Digital RSS Feed
