Friday 2.40pm - THE National Farmers Union and Country Land & Business Association have welcomed the announcement from Defra today the bluetongue protection zone has been extended to cover all of Lincolnshire.
The organisations, which are jointly promoting the Joint campaign Against Bluetongue in the region are now urging all livestock keepers in Lincolnshire to contact their vet and order supplies of the bluetongue vaccine to protect their flocks and herds.
"This is further good news in the fight against bluetongue," said NFU policy adviser for the region, Simon Fisher.
"In order to give ruminants the bluetongue vaccine, farmers and smallholders need to be in the bluetongue protection zone.
"This extension signals the start of a process that will eventually cover the entire East Midlands region over coming weeks.
"This is good news as the extension is earlier than anticipated, and as we see the onset of warmer weather not before time as midge activity and therefore the potential to see the disease spread increases.
"The release of vaccine over the past week into the Protection zone is the start of the process of stopping bluetongue in its tracks."
The NFU and CLA estimate the livestock industry is worth in the region of £106 million in the East Midlands alone, so they say vaccination must succeed to save the millions of animals and thousands of farm businesses at stake.
* Defra helpline: 08459 335577.
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