Four Scottish farms suspected of dangerous contact' with Hexham unit Edinburgh alarm over Northumberland FMD FMD cases in previously disinfected areas of Northumberland have put the epidemic back in the headlines. DEFRA officials and vets in Northern England are saying in private much the same as they tell the public: this is a problem, potentially quite serious, but half expected, and it is not conclusive evidence of the epidemic having a longer tail' than had been hoped. The new biosecurity measures imposed in Northumberland at the beginning of the week were actually much the same as those put in place in Cumbria and Yorkshire weeks ago, and denying the meat industry access to livestock in the latest afflicted area near Hexham would have a negligible impact on the English processing and retailing sectors. However this latest scare has also prompted the Edinburgh authorities to announce emergency restrictions had to be imposed on four Scottish farms suspected of "dangerous contact" with a Hexham production unit. This caused consternation in Scotland, because it had been hoped the official procedure which might allow Scottish meat exports to resume could begin on Thursday (August 30). This in turn provoked mixed reactions from the meat industries on both sides of the border because the pressure for securing privileged FMD free status for Scotland is highly contentious. Critics claim the effective insulation of Scotland's livestock and meat sectors, necessary to secure Brussels' approval for resuming exports earlier than would be permitted for the English and Welsh industries, implies heavy economic and commercial costs. The Hexham outbreak radically reduces the likelihood of Brussels agreeing preferential treatment for Scottish processors wishing to resume exports. {{M/E MEAT }}