‘Bluetongue restrictions lifted from July is great news for South Lakes farmers’ says MP

Local MP Tim Farron has welcomed news that the UK will be officially reclassified as bluetongue free from 5 July 2011, after two years without a case of the disease.

The announcement means that restrictions on exporting sheep and cattle from the UK will be lifted. This follows on from the European Union formally agreeing that the UK has not had a case of Bluetongue in over two years.

The last Bluetongue case in the UK was in 2007.

Bluetongue-free status will mean that animals exported from UK to bluetongue free countries, will not require vaccination, or need to meet any other bluetongue requirements. However, it also means farmers will not be allowed to vaccinate their stock against the disease after 5 July.

Speaking today, Tim said: "This is great news for local farmers and I want to pay tribute to their hard work dealing with Bluetongue. It will be a major boost for local farmers but we must stay vigilant all the same. I will continue to press the government to force the EU to allow farmers to keep up with vaccinations even when Bluetongue restrictions aren't in place."