A “dark period” when large parts of rural Dumfriesshire were devastated by a major outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) was recalled at Westminster on Wednesday.
It follows fears that a recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany could reach the UK – potentially causing a devastating impact on rural communities, agriculture and the food industry.
Minister of State at DEFRA Daniel Zeichner gave MPs an update on precautions being introduced in the UK including an import ban on German cattle, pigs and sheep.
Mr Zeichner was quizzed by MPs on the UK’s readiness to deal with any outbreak and a number described their own personal memories.
They included the devastating outbreak in 2001 which caused wide-spread animal welfare and economic devastation, particularly in hotspots like Dumfriesshire, parts of the Borders, and Cumbria where many thousands of animals were slaughtered.
Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell described how parts of his constituency were significantly impacted.
Mr Mundell, then an MSP, recalled: “The smoke from the burning pyres hung over for days, particularly in the Annan valley.”
He explained that one of the main markets for livestock from farms in his constituency was at Longtown, south of the border in Cumbria, which had been one of the contact points in the spread of the 2001 outbreak.
Mr Mundell asked the minister to ensure that any precautionary measures introduced by the UK Government were in close consultation with the Scottish Government because of the significant amount of cross-border movement of animals that needed to be properly identified and regulated.
The UK Minister, who is also MP for Cambridge, responded: “The right Hon. Gentleman speaks with passion and paints a vivid picture of that dismal period, which, sadly, I remember well.
“I can give him an absolute assurance that — as he will know from his time in government — the veterinary officers work very closely together, particularly on an official level.
“This is an entirely shared endeavour, and we will do everything we can to ensure that there is the close co-operation that is needed.”