Farmers could get compensation for Foot and Mouth scare

NEW ZEALAND - Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton this morning said compensation would be considered for the Waiheke Island farmers affected by the foot and mouth threat.

Animals are being checked by vets every 48 hours and livestock cannot move onto or off the island.

The scare follows a letter delivered to Prime Minister Helen Clark's office which said a release of the disease had been made on Monday.

Authorities remain convinced it is a hoax, but asked asked how much the threat had cost to manage so far, Mr Sutton said: "It's clearly millions of dollars a day."

He told National Radio: "Just the cost and the inconvenience to the farmers of Waiheke Island who are having to have their animals' temperatures taken every 48 hours for two weeks.

"It's a total disruption to their farming activities."

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Source: nzherald.co.nz

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