Have farmers been kept in the dark (Mushroom Theory)?

The EU Commission decided on the August 4, 2000 to send to Turkey a trivalent vaccine from the stocks kept by the antigen bank to help combat an exotic strain (Asia 1) of the foot and mouth disease in ruminants in Turkey, so that the EU Community livestock would be protected from this epidemic disease now running out of control in this country (despite the Government telling us that it is under control).

An undisclosed European company converted the 1.5 million doses of three different antigens into a trivalent vaccine; 1.3 million doses were scheduled for delivery to Turkey last September. The remaining 0.2 million doses are being kept in reserve for emergency. These antigens are stored in the UK, France and Italy. Turkey requested assistance from the EU for the vaccine. Did our Nick Brown inform our British Farmers of this serious threat to our livestock? I think not.

Our Agricultural Minster, Mr Brown, has his hands tied by our EU masters in Brussels who control our beleaguered farmers and fishermen. The sooner we get out of the EU the better off we will be, free from outside interference in running our own affairs.

The committee set up after the 1967 outbreak of foot and mouth made certain recommendations; Brussels over ruled them. Is the Turkish outbreak the source of our epidemic? Will we get the truth from this Government?

Alan Julier, 20 Old Street, Upton-upon-Severn. (via e-mail)