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A partner in Mathison (Farmers) Leven, East Yorkshire, appeared at Beverley Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 31 January, in relation to animal health and food safety offences

NFU deputy president, Tom Bradshaw said the industry was ‘seeing austerity in action', adding APHA were doing everything it could within its budget, but Government must give them better resources

It was argued APHA had wrongly interpreted the law underpinning its compensation scheme and failed to properly compensate affected farmers for birds, which were healthy at the point at which it decided they should be culled

APHA confirmed over 50 cases have been identified on 27 farms in Kent and Norfolk have identified cases of the virus since November 2023

A professor of virology at University of Nottingham said the weather conditions will be important over the next three months. Prof Peter Mertens said: "If you get low temperatures in winter, onward transmission is going to be curtailed"

APHA confirmed 23 cases of the virus have been detected since November 11

Livestock farmers say it must be the Government's priority to support APHA with more resources so they can take decisive action when needed

Defra said there was 'no evidence' bluetongue was circulating in the UK

UK's Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Christine Middlemiss said there was not any evidence to demonstrate it was a ‘circulating virus', with all the infections being incursion of infected midges

More than 1,300 members of the Public and Commercial Services union, including staff from Defra, RPA and Marine Management Organisation have called for a pilot scheme to analyse the benefits of a four day week on wellbeing and productivity