News

Defra has confirmed that, subject to no further changes in the disease position, the Protection and Surveillance Zones imposed with regard to the avian influenza outbreak in Suffolk are to be lifted as follows: First Protection Zone - to be lifted and become part of wider Surveillance Zone on Saturday 8th December Second Protection Zone - to be lifted and become part of wider Surveillance Zone on Monday 10th December Wider Surveillance Zone and Restricted Zone to be lifted on Wednesday 19th...

The first epidemiology report into this H5N1 avian influenza outbreak has been published. No evidence has so far been found to indicate introduction via infected poultry or poultry products or vehicles/people transporting them, from countries which have undisclosed infection in their domestic turkey, geese and duck population. Wild birds cannot be ruled out as a source of infection; there is no evidence of H5N1 infection in the local wild bird population or in GB as a whole, but continued...

Defra today announced that it is lifting the ban on bird gatherings, shows and pigeon racing which has been in place since confirmation of avian influenza in Suffolk on 12 November. This decision is based on expert consideration of surveillance and tracing results. As a precautionary measure, the ban will remain in place within the Restricted, Surveillance and Protection Zones in Suffolk and Norfolk. Birds from those zones will not be able to be taken to gatherings in the rest of the country....

Please click here to view the Declaration of a Protection Zone,Surveillance Zone and Restricted Zone as of 2.30pm, Monday 19th November.

Update 18:00 15 November Defra has today made available general licences to address immediate issues relating to the movement of bird by-products and mammals in the zones in place for Avian Influenza. The national ban on bird gatherings and movement restrictions in the zones remain firmly in place. It is essential that poultry keepers are vigilant in checking their birds and report signs of notifiable disease immediately. Also today, the decision has been taken to reclassify the cull at one of...

Please click here to view the Declaration amending the Bluetongue Protection Zone extending it slightly in two areas in Cambridgeshire. These are small extensions to address specific welfare issues, specifically to allow movement of animals off the Nene Marsh to their home farms. More information (including the interactive map allowing zooming in to these areas to see the exact boundaries) is available on the Defra website....

Following initial epidemiological work and veterinary assessment, four further premises have been identified as Dangerous Contacts. All poultry on these premises will be culled as a precautionary measure. These premises are within the existing Restricted Zone. This action is in line with DEFRA's contingency plans and takes into account the level of assessed risk at this early stage in the outbreak. In addition, some general licences to address immediate welfare issues in the area covered by the...

Defra has today (12th) confirmed positive results for the H5 strain of Avian Influenza in turkeys on a premises near Diss on the Norfolk/Suffolk border. A 10 km Surveillance Zone and 3km Protection Zone have been established within which movements of birds are restricted and all birds must be housed or isolated from wild bird contact. Further information is available on Defra's website.

Defra confirmed yesterday that the EU Commission and Member States have agreed a new decision which will allow the relaxation of current Foot and Mouth Disease export restrictions on meat and meat products. For more details please click here.

With effect from midnight tonight (5th November) the Land Registry has decided that certain documents, for example leases, mortgage deeds, etc., will no longer be available in an electronic form on the Land Register Online website. This seems to be as a result of concerns relating to potential misuse of these documents. If copies of such documents are required they will now need to be applied for in writing from the Land Registry or can be obtained from a Land Registry office. To view the Land...

Please click here to view amendments made to the Bluetongue control and protections zones at 16.00 on 29th October 2007.

Defra today confirmed the extension of the Bluetongue Control Zone in Kent and East Sussex, following a new case of Bluetongue in Sevenoaks. As a result, the Control Zone covering parts of Essex and East Anglia will now merge with the Control Zone in Kent and East Sussex to become one single Control Zone. The Protection Zone has also been extended slightly in the South West of England. The Control Zone in the Peterborough area remains unchanged. For more information please click here....

Defra anounced at 12.45 pm today that the Control Zone in Kent is being extended into East Sussex following confirmation today of a case near Rye. The Bluetongue Protection Zone is also being slightly amended accordingly. This reflects the UK’s Bluetongue Control Strategy and EU legislation. For more information please visit the Defra website.

Defra confirmed yesterday that Bluetongue has been found on two premises, one near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and one near Ashford, Kent. These cases are within the current Bluetongue Protection Zone. In line with the UK Bluetongue Control Strategy and EU legislation, Control Zones have been put in place around these two new cases, while investigations are undertaken to determine the disease situation. The existing Protection Zone has also been extended accordingly. For more details please...

DEFRA have announced today that a 3 km Foot and Mouth Temporary Control Zone has been put in place around a premises near Rye, East Sussex. This is a precautionary measure following a veterinary assessment of suspect signs of disease in sheep. Laboratory tests are in progress and there is no timetable for receiving results. Should there be any further news, we will update this website.

Markets within the Bluetongue Control and Protection Zones will be permitted from midnight Sunday 14 October. The movement of susceptible animals from within the Control and Protection Zones to approved slaughterhouses outside the Bluetongue Zones will also be permitted from this time. Conditions apply and markets within the FMD Risk Area will remain closed. From Monday, slaughterhouses outside the Bluetongue Zones will be able to apply to the Meat Hygiene Service to be approved to take...

On 10th October Defra announced that the existing Bluetongue Control and Protection Zones are being extended following confirmation of further cases of Bluetongue in Essex. The UK Bluetongue Control Strategy and EU legislation require that the zones to be extended due to the proximity of these cases to the boundary of the existing Control Zone. For more information please click here....

It has been confirmed that the 2007 Pre-Budget report and Comprehensive Spending Review will be presented by Alistair Darling, The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the House of Commons on Tuesday 9th October. It was anticipated that this would occur later in the month, but it seems that is the final day when Gordon Brown could call a general election for 1st November. For further information please see the BBC News website....

Defra has confirmed that with effect from 08.15 this morning (3rd October) the Foot and Mouth Temporary Control Zone imposed near Haywards Heath on the border of East and West Sussex has been revoked.

Defra has today (29th September) carried out a further Foot and Mouth Disease related slaughter on suspicion on a farm in Surrey. This seemingly follows clinical examination of animals located on land within the existing FMD Protetcion Zone. No timetable has been given for laboratory results of tests carried out.

Defra has confirmed this afternoon (27th September) that Bluetongue has been declared as an official outbreak. For further information please log into CAAV Members' Documents. To view Defra's news release, please click here.

6.20 p.m. Defra has confirmed this evening (27th September) that the FMD Temporary Control Zone set up around a premises near Maidenhead has now been lifted. In addition, they have confirmed that a fifth case of Bluetongue has been found on a fourth premises near Burstall, Suffolk. Epidemiological investigations are still ongoing to establish whether the disease is "circulating".