France is the world's second most successful agricultural exporter after the United States. The EU, Norway, Switzerland and Poland have also imposed temporary bans on all imports of cloven-hoofed French livestock and animal products. The disease was first found in Britain about three weeks ago and now that it has crossed into France, is threatening to overrun the rest of the continent. France announced its first confirmed case of the disease on Tuesday.
Officials say they found it in some cows imported from Britain to a farm in northwest France.
All 114 cows on the farm have been incinerated. The country has imposed a two-week ban on the export of all animals at risk from the disease. It has also prohibited most movements of livestock but not to slaughterhouses. In an emergency meeting on Tuesday, veterinary officials of the EU discussed measures to deal with the crisis. It is also banning the transfer of animal products from the infected region to other areas in France.