An organic farmer has won permission to seek a High Court order in Britain stopping the policy of slaughtering healthy animals. It is the first legal action of its kind. A judge ruled that Peter Kindersley had an arguable case, which should be heard as a matter of extreme urgency. Mr Kindersley is arguing that the Ministry of Agriculture in Britain went too far and was unlawful under both European Community and British law. The total number of confirmed cases in Britain is 771.
Yesterday, the European Union Veterinary Committee approved a request from Britain to have the option of using vaccines in two areas worst hit by the foot and mouth epidemic. Officials said that the programme could involve around 180,000 dairy cows in Cumbria and Devon. EU law currently prohibits vaccination by individual countries, but last week the Netherlands was given permission to vaccinate in limited circumstances.
