Sheep cull to go ahead in south Armagh

The North's Agriculture Minister Brid Rodgers has held talks with farmers whose animals have been affected by foot-and-mouth.

Speaking after talks with farm leaders in Newry today, Mrs Rodgers said she had been able to meet their concerns over compensation and the slaughter and disposal of animals.

She said the farmers had been anxious to co-operate and that the cull of sheep in the south Armagh area would go ahead as planned this afternoon.

The EC has given the North regional status on the condition that 2,500 sheep around the infected farm in Meigh, Co Armagh is completed.