3 May 2010

Border alerts urged over foot and mouth outbreak

6:06 am on 3 May 2010

Federated Farmers says border agencies need to be on higher alert following confirmed outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in South Korea and Japan.

The federation has written to the Ministers of Tourism and Biosecurity, requesting increased vigilance at all ports of entry.

It says the Government should issue advisory notices to airlines and shipping companies, reinforced by special airline passenger announcements, as well as written materials in Japanese, Korean and English.

Federated Farmers would also like disinfectant mats installed in airbridges to increase awareness among jetlagged visitors.

And if there are breaches, biosecurity spokesperson John Hartnell says the book should be thrown at transgressors.