In recent weeks, I made a number of adjustments to the foot and mouth disease controls, based on recommendations from the expert group and subject to strict protocols being adhered to. In particular, recent adjustments have been made to allow the movement of stock bulls, the movement of cattle from feedlots, the movement of cattle between fragments of the same holding and, most recently, farm to farm cattle sales with effect from 14 May.
Marts may be currently used for the assembly of cattle, sheep and pigs going directly for slaughter. As regards the general resumption of mart operations, the expert group has not for the present made any recommendations in this regard and while I am conscious of the pressures on farmers, I am equally conscious that a further outbreak of foot and mouth disease in this country would have far more serious consequences for the farming community and for the economy generally.
For this reason I do not intend to relax controls indiscriminately. However, I will take appropriate measures in relation to the phased resumption of marts when the expert group, on the basis of a risk assessment, makes recommendations in this regard.