MAY I enlighten the public regarding the latest outbreak of avian flu. There has been a concentration by the media and vested interest giving the impression that wild birds are the source of such disease, when they are victims. The source, as last time, is from intensive units in Asia, and the unnecessary international trade in non-essential livestock and their products.
Even with temporary restrictions, last time around we did not suspend international trade, as with Bernard Mathews in its EU intensive units where and dead, diseased birds were left out in the open for wild birds to be infected.
This international trade is not only the cause of many disease but it’s also madness. The UK exports about a third of its lamb to New Zealand and imports the same. Sadly the huge-scale intensive units have the ear of our politicians, while the free-range small family farms and wildlife suffer the consequences, and the public become part of the pressure on them.
D Thomas
Hisomley
Westbury
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