Originally from: chris stockdale
                        
Dear all,

I have e-mailed all of DEFRA's FMD Stakeholder Communications Group with the mesage (in Italics) below, with the FMD Vaccine article attached and NFU comment coloured in red . We meet in early September. I do have a few ideas how to break this cycle, but would love to hear from any one else who has any suggestions. Many of the staff and most or all of the Stakeholders in the above-named group are extremely sympathetic to this aim, so suggestions please.

We will need to find answers to the problem raised by the large exporting companies, like Cadburys and Nestle, that even if they know that there is no problem arising from vaccinated product, what is to stop one of their competitors abroad using any perceptible sleight for trade advantage purposes ; even assuming that we get the UK sorted [big 'if' but hopefully do-able], it will all come unstuck again on this. Please rack yer brains, as this is the biggest stumbling block left.

Contributions on how to sort the UK situation also welcomed, bearing in mind that many producers, processors, and retailers do not wish to dwell over-much on existing vaccine-use, so emphasising comparative safety by reference to something perhaps best rapidly glossed over is difficult – hard to believe the NFU would be so stupid as to play with fire in a powder-keg.

I think it is also true to say that there are no serious plans to vaccinate sheep next time; John Thorley (National Sheep Association) is implacably opposed to vaccination – proposes instead that sheep should be left up the mountain/ pushed to outlying ground, and then blood tested later. DEFRA seem to be in agreement with this, which may mean what it says, or it may just mean that John is retiring soon, say anything, then kill next time as sheep producers do not want vacc -- there is not a lot can be done with a vaccinated ovine carcass other than cook it quickly, so I have suggested mobile field kitchens to produce large-scale product for HM Prisons, Armed Forces, Schools, Welfare and charity applications etc -- so far no notice taken, will raise it again (obviously purchase and acquisition contracts would need a 'national emergency' override clause).

Dear all,

please find attached a recent Press cutting of central relevance to our task.

The circularity (chicken / egg) could be endless – producers pre-empting non-existing baseless consumer fears and possibly thereby generating the very same. How are we going to break the cycle?

Could I suggest that we bring proposals for solving this most knotty of problems to our next meeting. I have a few ideas, some almost ready for Press release.

 Sincerely,
 Chris (Stockdale).