Farmers to get answers on foot and mouth (From Western Telegraph)

Farmers to get answers on foot and mouth

West Wales livestock producers hit by the foot and mouth crisis will today (Wednesday) get the chance to send a message to the European Parliament.

The co-ordinator of the Parliaments Foot and Mouth Disease Inquiry team will talk to farmers, auctioneers and livestock dealers at Carmarthen Mart to discover the impact the crisis has had on their businesses. The mart itself was a major casualty of the disease outbreak because it was forced to close for a year due to livestock movement restrictions. Eurig Wyn MEP admits difficult questions need to be answered and believes this can only be done by meeting people directly affected by the crisis

We need to analyse the causes of the crisis, look at the Governments handling of the situation and consider what we can learn from it, says Mr Wyn, who sits on the European Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Some difficult questions need to be answered and the best way of doing that is to get evidence from those who suffered both directly and indirectly here in Wales.

I hope to bring my influence to bear on behalf of the affected communities as well as all sectors of the industry left devastated by the epidemic. The best way for me to do that is by listening to the views of those who were at the sharp end of the crisis and presenting their evidence to the inquiry. His visit comes in a week when the Wales Tourist Board launches a rural marketing initiative targeting areas which suffered during the foot-and-mouth crisis. Estimates suggest that the outbreak cost businesses £145 million in lost trade.

The Board has been allocated £500,000 by the Welsh Assembly to regenerate tourism businesses in Wales.

Open Space aims to give the visitor practical advice about where to find nature, beauty, adventure and crafts in rural areas like Pembrokeshire.