Farmer attacks 'crazy' race meeting close to cattle herd
A British farmer has criticised racecourse officials for staging a major two-day meeting a few hundred yards from her beef farm.
Linda Sewell, 37, says the meeting today and tomorrow at Huntingdon racecourse in Cambridgeshire will pose a huge risk to her 132-strong herd of cattle.
Ms Sewell says the risk of foot-and-mouth spreading to her farm is enormous.
She says thousands of people will drive past the entrance to her farm at Brampton, near Huntingdon, on their way to the meeting.
Ms Sewell has complained to racecourse managers but been told that they feel beginning racing again at Huntingdon is entirely safe.
"I am worried sick," she said. "I think it is absolutely crazy. It beggars belief and makes no sense at all."
"Everyone who comes here will have to drive past my farm, they will then hold the meeting a few hundred yards away from where my cattle are. People will be coming from all over the country including from areas where the disease has already been confirmed.
"I've spoken to the racecourse but been told that they feel it will be safe because of the precautions they will take."
Ms Sewell has been helping run the family farm for more than 20 years and says her life's work will be destroyed if the herd contracts foot-and-mouth.
Racecourse officials say all visitors will pass through disinfectant pads and they will take all precautions they can to ensure that no one spreads foot-and-mouth during the meeting.
Meanwhile, The European Union is to expected to ban imports of livestock and untreated meat and dairy products from Argentina, following reports of foot-and-mouth disease there.
EU officials said the ban will come into effect when it is formally approved by the European Commission, which is expected in the next few days.
Frits Pluimers, the Dutch representative on the EU panel, said the United States, Canada and Chile had already introduced similar bans.
