Interesting times ahead

The retirement of the UK's Chief Veterinary Officer has led to a reshuffle of the senior veterinary team at the UK's Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

 Debby Reynolds has taken early retirement after four years as CVO. Her decision comes towards the end of a year that saw three notifiable diseases - foot and mouth, avian influenza and bluetongue - affect the UK. Her deputy, Fred Landeg, is now the acting CVO until a permanent appointment is made. In turn, DEFRA has appointed Alick Simmons as deputy CVO. Mr Simmons was previously veterinary director at the Food Standards Agency.

He has spent most of his career in livestock disease control and food safety in the UK, EU and other countries as a state veterinarian and in private practice.

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