A call has been made for Scotland to follow England in issuing a housing order for poultry in the north-east – after two further cases of bird flu were detected.
Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid has written to Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon asking her to follow England’s lead.
It comes after two new cases of bird flu were reported at farms near Turriff on Friday and Banff on Sunday.
Protection and surveillance zones have been set up while veterinary investigations are carried out to establish the source of the disease.
The total means half of all Scotland’s avian flu cases have now been found in Banff and Buchan.
Mr Duguid said the situation in his constituency is becoming “more and more urgent” and has urged the Scottish Government to enforce the same procedure as England by keeping all poultry and captive birds indoors.
South of the border, the UK Government has taken preventative steps in a bid to minimise further spread of avian flu and to protect food supplies.
Since November 7, all poultry and captive birds in England must be kept indoors to limit the spread of the flu.
English measures should be in place in Scotland
Measures around compensation and killing and freezing birds for sale have also been brought forward to ensure payments are made sooner.
Mr Duguid is asking for the same measures to be put in place in Scotland.
In a letter to Ms Gougeon, he said: “I write to you after news over the weekend that a further two farms in my constituency have confirmed avian flu cases.
“As you are aware, the UK Government has taken preventative steps in England to minimise further spread of avian flu and to protect food supplies.
“With the number of cases in Banff and Buchan steadily and inevitably rising I reiterate the concerns raised by the chairman of NFU Scotland’s poultry working group, Robert Thompson, who believes it is a serious mistake not to follow the steps taken by the UK Government in England, and that the same measures should be put in place in Scotland to protect more farms from potentially being infected.”
He continued: “I appreciate that bio-security measures are already in place and that these are normally the most effective steps to take.
“However, it should be clear by now that these measures are insufficient on their own.
Clarity on what measures are being taken
“NFU Scotland recently warned of potential shortages this Christmas owing to the danger of avian flu in wild birds spreading to poultry flocks that remain outside.
“If not implementing housing orders, I urgently seek clarity on behalf of poultry farmers in my constituency, on what measures the Scottish Government are taking to protect captive birds, businesses and food supply this winter.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We are keeping the situation under constant review, however the current evidence does not yet justify imposing a housing order in Scotland.
“The decision on whether a housing order is introduced is a matter for Scotland’s Chief Veterinary Officer and follows the analysis of a wide range of available evidence.”
He continued: “This includes numbers and geographical distribution of poultry cases, epidemiological reports on risk pathways, risk assessments on disease risk level, alongside case numbers and geographical distribution of wild bird findings.
“This is balanced with published data on the risk reduction of biosecurity measures, compared to risk reduction from housing, alongside welfare problems following housing.
“In addition, this is augmented by international disease monitoring and the situation in other countries, especially across Great Britain.
“Lastly, a judgment is made from a veterinary perspective on the expected benefits of introducing a housing order against any potential consequences.”
Conversation