But first, the fear of foot and mouth disease is spreading across Europe, as thousands of animals are slaughtered and burnt on massive straw fuelled pyres across Britain. Although containment measures were implemented nearly a week ago the disease is still being identified at fresh farm sites. And it may well have been exported to Europe, causing panic and slaughtering of all animals recently imported across the Channel. Europe correspondent Michael Brissenden says the crisis is exacerbating anger already felt by European farmers still reeling from a British mad cow epidemic.
European farmers are angry.
Mad cow disease has seen the beef market all but collapse, and now foot and mouth disease is threatening to ruin the livelihoods of other livestock producers as well. And when European farmers get angry they generally have a number of well tried ways of expressing their displeasure. Thousands took their anger to the streets of the European capital. Tractors brought the Brussels traffic to a standstill and a barrage of abuse and eggs rained down on police manning barricades set up around the European administrative district. Here the farmers deployed their second favourite weapon, a small delegation met the ministers and demanded more financial assistance.