About 90,000 animals have been identified for slaughter, of which 61,000 have been killed.
Plans are in hand to render some of the carcases as an alternative to burning on farm.
The Meat Hygiene Service has approved more than 260 abattoirs for the licence to slaughter scheme. The Meat and Livestock Commission estimated yesterday that British pork production was back to 50 per cent. To relieve emerging animal welfare problems, officials are urgently working on arrangements to allow licensed local movement of animals within farms in unaffected areas, but only where that will not increase disease risk. We hope to have proposals prepared shortly. The European Union Standing Veterinary Committee met on 6 March.