51AVÊÓÆµ

2001 UK foot-and-mouth outbreak - 25 years on: "Infectious diseases do not respect borders or species barriers, and we ignore this at our peril"

Before his career in politics, Epping Forest MP Dr Neil Hudson was a veterinary inspector who was on the frontline of the foot-and-mouth outbreak in 2001. Dr Hudson remembers the once bustling farms which became empty, the impact it had on the sector's mental health, and why the current Government should never take the UK's national biosecurity for granted

clock • 3 min read
Epping Forest MP Dr Neil Hudson said: "We need to make sure the burning pyres of slaughtered animals as well as the economic and mental health devastation of foot-and-mouth remain resolutely confined to the history books. Compromised biosecurity affects everything from animal health, public health, to the price of food, trade, to our position on the world stage and our precious environment."
Image:

Epping Forest MP Dr Neil Hudson said: "We need to make sure the burning pyres of slaughtered animals as well as the economic and mental health devastation of foot-and-mouth remain resolutely confined to the history books. Compromised biosecurity affects everything from animal health, public health, to the price of food, trade, to our position on the world stage and our precious environment."

My journey as a vet into politics began after I spent a period as a veterinary inspector during the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak supervising some of the tragic animal culls. I saw sights then that...

To continue reading...

Already a member? Login for full access.

New to Farmers Guardian? Register for 1 free article per week or become a member for unlimited access to essential farming news and insights.

article-img-580x358

Ìý

More on 51AVÊÓÆµLife

Scottish Government introduces bluetongue control zone after Lockerbie case

Scottish Government introduces bluetongue control zone after Lockerbie case

A Temporary Control Zone has been put in place in an area around Dumfries and Galloway, after bluetongue was found in two lambs near Lockerbie

Rachael Brown
clock 20 August 2026 • 3 min read
'Glaring injustice' still remains for farmers hit by fly-tipping

'Glaring injustice' still remains for farmers hit by fly-tipping

The Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a 'crackdown' on the criminal gangs profiting from illegal waste

Rachael Brown
clock 20 August 2026 • 3 min read
Livestock and lodges – a mix of enterprises suits Scottish family farming business

Livestock and lodges – a mix of enterprises suits Scottish family farming business

Striving for the highest standards in everything they do, the Wallace family of Mains of Collin Farm, near Castle Douglas, have developed an ideal blend of cattle, sheep and tourism to secure their family's farming future

Lynsey Clark
clock 20 August 2026 • 8 min read