Farmers in the North delighted to escape meat export ban

Farmers in the North were delighted today when it was confirmed that they had escaped a meat export ban.

Kenneth Sharkey, president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union, said: “We are delighted with that decision. It is what we expected because there is really no justification for introducing a ban in Northern Ireland.”

The news broke as Mr Sharkey and others involved in the meat processing industry met with Minister for Agriculture in Stormont Michelle Gildernew to discuss the foot-and-mouth outbreak in England.

Mr Sharkey added: “It’s business as usual for Northern Ireland. The introduction of a ban would have been terrible for the industry".

The minister met members of her Assembly scrutiny committee to brief them on the measures which have been swiftly introduced since the outbreak was confirmed on Friday evening.

Speaking after more than an hour with the minister, Agricultural Committee deputy chairman Tom Elliott said: “We were pretty confident Northern Ireland would have a derogation from the export ban. We are also confident that this case in England is an isolated incident and that Northern Ireland will not be affected.”

He said things needed to be kept in perspective. “This is an island, there is one incident in the south of England and that is a long way away.”

He said he wanted to see farmers in the North continuing unscathed and fulfilling their export orders to markets throughout Europe and around the world.

Fellow committee member George Savage added: “I think they are on top of it over here and have brought in all the right measures to guard against a spread of the disease into our herds and flocks.”

The North has imposed a ban on all cattle, sheep and pig movements from Britain which has clearly satisfied European member states.

A temporary ban has also been placed on the import of fresh meat and unpasteurised milk from the rest of the UK.

Disinfected mats have also been installed at airports and seaports through which all passengers and vehicles entering the province must travel.