[Jacob-list] FMD

[sbennett]

To all,

Here's a little more information as to why governments in Europe and 
North America are so eager to eradicate FMD by slaughter rather than 
vaccination as is done in countries where the disease is endemic.  Loss 
FMD free status for a country means that trade in meat and animals is cut 
off with other countries.  Since, at this time, vaccinated animal cannot 
be distiguished from animals that have had the disease, the country loses 
its FMD free status for two years or more as opposed to the few weeks or 
months it takes to eradicate it by culling infected and potentially 
infected animals.  Basically it comes down to money and greed.  The 
governments don't care about rare or endangered breeds, a sheep is a 
sheep in their minds.  All they care about is profits and taxes from 
exporting meat.  Since the most money is made from beef, Britain is 
willing to try to save the 'cash cow' as it were and the smaller 
producers with less of an impact on GDP can suffer.  Since the whole 
thing hit the news and has affected tourism, there is another big 
incentive to eradicate FMD by the quickest method possible.  Tourists 
equal big money, small farmers with rare breed animals whether they be 
sheep, goats or whatever don't, therefore we lose.  

Fighting this attitude will be difficult and time consuming, but in my 
mind worth it.  Perhaps we could enlist the aid of environmental groups 
with more political power to help.

Sam Bennett
Feral Fibre
Oakland, Or
sbennett at teleport.com