France announces foot-and-mouth aid for farmers

French Agriculture Minister Jean Glavany today opened a crisis centre and announced monetary aid for farmers facing hardships amid measures to curb foot-and-mouth disease.

After a case of the highly contagious livestock disease was reported in north-west France last week, the EU banned the movement of all meat, dairy and other products from the north-west regions of Mayenne and Orne.

At a news conference, Glavany said he would make available 30 million francs (stg£3m), bulking up a 7 million-franc (£700,000) private fund to help farmers struggling with the EU measures.

‘‘We want Mayenne and Orne to serve as a shield, without making a scapegoat out of them,’’ said Glavany, who was heading to Brussels later today to meet EU counterparts to discuss foot-and-mouth disease.

Glavany also appointed engineer Jean-Louis Porry to head a crisis unit for livestock farmers.

President Jacques Chirac was expected to visit the affected region today, underscoring concern that foot-and-mouth disease could ravage France’s key livestock industry.

Officials reported France’s first case of the foot-and-mouth disease which has swept through Britain last Tuesday, marking the first and only reported outbreak in continental Europe.

France imported some 20,000 sheep from Britain last month, heightening concerns that a French outbreak could follow.