DATE=03/09/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BRITAIN / HOOF AND MOUTH (L ONLY)

NUMBER=2-273485,

BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN

DATELINE=LONDON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Britain's outbreak of hoof and mouth disease is still not contained - two weeks after the first case was detected at a farm in northern England. But V-O-A Correspondent Laurie Kassman in London reports British farm officials are allowing a limited movement of animals to help ease the strain on farmers.

TEXT: Farm officials say more than 120 cases of hoof and mouth disease have been confirmed since the first infection was reported two weeks ago. The first animals infected were pigs. But the virus quickly spread to sheep. Now several cattle herds have been infected too.

More than 100-thousand animals have been listed for slaughter in an attempt to eradicate the highly contagious virus. Farm officials say the spread of the virus can be traced to a single farm in northern England.

The head of the dairy division of Britain's National Farmers Union, Philip Hudson, says the spread of hoof and mouth to cattle is a concern because it can seriously affect milk and cheese production.

/// HUDSON ACT 1 ///

All in all, we're in a situation now where there continue to be cases coming through. We've already had 14 today. And there is no suggestion that we're at a point yet that the disease is coming to an end. And, indeed, now is a very crucial period because we must remain vigilant and farmers must remain vigilant to ensure we work toward stamping out the disease in the end.

/// END ACT ///

British animal and meat exports have been halted. Livestock markets have been canceled. So have some of the country's leading horse racing events and international soccer matches too.

Still, Mr. Hudson told V-O-A some farmers are being allowed to move their animals in areas that are not infected.

/// HUDSON ACT 2 ///

For welfare reasons, particularly in pigs where the animals have to be sent to slaughter, the authorities have enabled some tightly and strictly controlled movement of animals from farms direct to slaughter.

/// END ACT ///

Britain's farmers have suffered a series of setbacks in the past half-dozen years, including the fallout from mad cow disease, an outbreak of swine flu, bad weather, an over-valued currency that hurt the competitiveness of British meat exports, and a recent slump in the market.

Mr. Hudson says it is still too early to predict when this latest disaster will be over.

/// HUDSON ACT 3 ///

It is an absolute body blow to farmers in the U-K and it is just something they can do without when it comes after poor incomes in the past three to four years and the B-S-E crisis (Mad Cow)

/// END ACT ///

Farm union officials estimate the industry will lose more than 400-million dollars a month until the virus is eradicated. (Signed)

NEB/LMK/KL/JWH