Foot and mouth?

Question

Who actually monitors foot and mouth? I know Defra does but surely there’s a smaller body that deals with it.

Also what’s actually stopping farmers from reporting possible cases of foot and mouth? Does anyone know any cases where farmers have hidden possible outbreaks and have been prosecuted/fined by defra (or other smaller body).

Answer 1

Defra is subdivided into other organistations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defra#Executive_agencies
Animal health are the department that deal with monitoring for Foot and Mouth.

As for farmers hiding the disease, almost all farmers would find the idea of that disgraceful. In fact, the compensation system favours farmers who have lost animals to foot and mouth. http://www.guardian.co.uk/footandmouth/story/0,,529515,00.html But there was a conviction when it came to the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak. http://www.guardian.co.uk/footandmouth/story/0,,725057,00.html 'Waugh was convicted yesterday of cruelty, of failing to notify the authorities of the outbreak and of feeding unprocessed waste to his animals, he was never formally accused of starting last year's national crisis.' So yes, he did not notify anyone of the outbreak at Burnside farm, and thanks to that delay, the disease spread across the country.

Answer 2

The Health and Agriculture Departments of the government monitors the foot and mouth desease in order that this will not spread to other places which will be prejudicial to the livestock industry.