development;
Modulation was introduced in 2001 at a flat rate
of 2.5 per cent, to help fund the RDP (see page
398). This means that 2.5 per cent of subsidy
â–
in Scotland the Scottish Agricultural College
payments will be reallocated to agri-environment
(SAC) provides professional, business,
and forestry schemes such as Countryside
scientific and technical services in the
Stewardship, Tir Gofal, and ESAs (see page 398).
agriculture, rural business, food and drink,
The Government is matching the sum reallocated
and environmental markets;
to provide further funding for the RDPs. On an
accruals basis, modulation is estimated to have
â–
the Department of Agriculture and Rural
reduced arable and livestock subsidies by £44
Development (DARD) has a similar remit in
million in 2001. In order to secure a significant
Northern Ireland; and
increase in funds for rural development measures,
all direct payments made under CAP commodity
â–
Lantra, which is the UK Sector Skills
regimes between 2001 and 2006 will be modulated.
Development Agency (see page 115) for the
industry, receives government support under
In December 2000 a comprehensive EU proposal
contracts from DEFRA and the Scottish
for submission to the World Trade Organisation
Executive.
400
Economic affairs
26 Agriculture, fishing and forestry
Animal health and welfare
commercial basis. Similar support is provided in
Professional advice and action on the statutory
Scotland by the SAC. In Northern Ireland, DARD’s
control of animal health and the welfare of farm
Veterinary Service carries out a similar role to the
livestock are the responsibility of the State
State Veterinary Service in Great Britain,
Veterinary Service. It is supported in England and
supported by its Veterinary Sciences Division.
Wales by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency
(VLA – www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/vla), which DEFRA works to ensure priority is given to
also offers its services to the private sector on a
maintaining standards of welfare for animals during
Foot-and-mouth disease
A report by the National Audit Office (see page 350),
A significant outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease
published in June 2002, found that overall the foot-
occurred in the UK during 2001. By the time that the
and-mouth outbreak cost the public sector over
disease was confirmed in pigs at an abattoir, and in
£3 billion and the private sector more than £5 billion.
cattle on a neighbouring farm, in Brentwood (Essex)
However, the Treasury has estimated that the net
on 20 February 2001, it had already been present in
economic effect of the outbreak was less than
the country, undetected, for two to three weeks – the
0.2 per cent of GDP (less than £2 billion) because
original outbreak was subsequently found to have
expenditure was diverted elsewhere in the economy.
been on a farm at Heddon-on-the-Wall,
Northumberland. During this time it had already been
Throughout the crisis the export of livestock and
spread widely throughout the country by large-scale
livestock products was banned. Export of pigmeat
commercial movements of sheep. As a result, cases
from provisionally free areas was resumed at the end
occurred in many areas, with particular clusters in
of October 2001. All remaining trade restrictions on
Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway, Devon and North
the export of meat, animal products and livestock as
Yorkshire, together accounting for over two-thirds of
a result of foot-and-mouth disease were lifted on
all confirmed cases.
7 February 2002 by the Standing Veterinary
Committee of the European Commission (beef exports
There were 2,030 confirmed cases in 2001, the last
remain subject to BSE controls).
being confirmed on 30 September. England had 1,730
cases, Scotland 183, Wales 113 and Northern Ireland
The UK was declared free of the disease on 14
four. The disease peaked in March and April and then
January 2002.
trailed off from May onwards.
Three separate, independent, inquiries have reported
Over the year a total of 4,082,000 animals, on
on the lessons learned from foot-and-mouth; the
10,075 premises, were slaughtered for disease control
science of disease control and prevention; and the
purposes. A further 2,046,000 were slaughtered for
future of farming and the countryside:
welfare reasons (for example because they could not
be moved from waterlogged fields), and another
â–
Inquiry into the lessons to be learned from the
526,000 under the Light Lambs Scheme.
foot-and-mouth disease outbreak of 2001
(www.fmd-lessonslearned.org.uk), which reported Foot-and-mouth disease is highly virulent in pigs,
in July 2002;