There has now been 1204 confirmed cases of Foot and Mouth.

The authorities are investigating 309 cases of alleged illegal movements of livestock. There has been some suggestions that certain farmers have faked the symptoms of the disease to claim the higher compensation rate given for diseased animals rather than settle for the lower rate given in welfare cases. It has also been claimed that animals have been illegally moved to high risk areas in order that they are exposed to the virus. This is a way of infecting their own stock and claiming the larger compensation package.
As you can imagine the farming community country wide is outraged. Farmers leaders have accepted that there has been a few cases of farmers breaking the law rather than see their animals die in appalling conditions in the fields. To think that anyone would spread this disease on purpose shows how out of touch the Government is with the real countryside.