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FARMING

Blue tongue outbreak spreads south

Sweden’s outbreak of blue tongue disease continues to spread as animals in the Småland region of south central Sweden and neighbouring Skåne county to the south have now been diagnosed with the condition.

Published: 24 September 2008 12:54 CEST

The new infections in Småland in south central Sweden were discovered on two sheep on a farm near Traryd, north of Markaryd and represent the regions first blue tongue cases in the current outbreak.

So far neither of the animals has exhibited any symptoms, but a 20-kilometre area around the farm has been quarantined.

Tests have also confirmed that a suspected case of the disease reported earlier in the week at a dairy farm near Hörby in Skåne in the south of Sweden is in fact blue tongue.

According to the Ystads Allehanda newspaper, the dairy farm infection involves three animals from a farm in Pärup. The cases are the first to be reported in Skåne and a 20-kilometre quarantine area has also been erected around the infected farm.

The county administrative board in Skåne says a comprehensive vaccination effort is underway within the quarantined area, which boasts one of the country’s most high concentrations of cattle.

In addition to Hörby, portions of several neighbouring municipalities, including Höör, Eslöv, Sjöbo, Kristianstad och Tomelilla are also included in the vaccination programme.

The first cases of blue tongue was first discovered on September 6th on a farm in Halland in western Sweden, prompting a massive vaccination programme to impede the spread of the disease.

POLITICS

France vows to block EU-South America trade deal in current form

France has vowed to prevent a trade deal between the European Union and the South American Mercosur bloc from being signed with its current terms, as the country is rocked by farmer protests.

Published: 31 January 2024 15:46 CET
France vows to block EU-South America trade deal in current form

The trade deal, which would include agricultural powers Argentina and Brazil, is among a litany of complaints by farmers in France and elsewhere in Europe who have been blocking roads to demand better conditions for their sector.

They fear it would further depress their produce prices amid increased competition from exporting nations that are not bound by strict and costly EU environmental laws.

READ ALSO Should I cancel my trip to France because of farmers’ protests?

“This Mercosur deal, as it stands, is not good for our farmers. It cannot be signed as is, it won’t be signed as is,” Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire told broadcasters CNews and Europe 1.

The European Commission acknowledged on Tuesday that the conditions to conclude the deal with Mercosur, which also includes Paraguay and Uruguay, “are not quite there yet”.

The talks, however, are continuing, the commission said.

READ ALSO 5 minutes to understand French farmer protests

President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that France opposes the deal because it “doesn’t make Mercosur farmers and companies abide by the same rules as ours”.

The EU and the South American nations have been negotiating since 2000.

The contours of a deal were agreed in 2019, but a final version still needs to be ratified.

The accord aims to cut import tariffs on – mostly European – industrial and pharmaceutical goods, and on agricultural products.

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