LAST INFECTED AREA GOES CLEAR

The lifting of the last remaining foot and mouth Infected Area in the
country will be a huge morale boost for farmers, NFU President Ben Gill said
today.

IA status will be lifted at midnight in Durham, North Yorkshire, and Cumbria
- where the country's last FMD case was reported on 30 September - following
negative blood tests.

The stubborn hold taken by the disease in this important livestock area of
the country has earned it the title of the Penrith Spur.

NFU President Ben Gill said: "Farmers will be extremely pleased to see the
Penrith Spur disappear from the map and the necessary restrictions that have
gone with it.

"It will be seen as a further significant development in what was formerly a
disease stronghold."

The three counties will remain High Risk areas until next Tuesday 4 December
when they will be down-graded to At Risk status as part of the winding down
of disease control measures in the area.

It will allow farmers greater flexibility to move their animals, although
licences will still be needed.

Ben Gill added: "While controls remain in many parts of the country and
blood testing continues it remains as important as ever that none of us let
down our guard."