IS IT really necessary, or logical, to slaughter and burn thousands of healthy animals, or even infected ones, which pose no risk to humans?

Vaccines are available to stop the spread of foot and mouth disease but it does mean some countries not taking our meat exports.

This would be readily compensated for if we lifted the burden of EU regulations and quotas, and also did not allow imports, unfairly subsidised, to be dumped here. I believe in a free market but only animals reared and processed to our standards should be allowed in.

We should also reverse the EU directives so eagerly implemented by over-zealous officials which have resulted in the closure of local abattoirs, forcing animals to be transported much farther than necessary for no benefit.

With ever increasing globalisation it is going to be virtually impossible to eradicate the risk without vaccination. The mental stress for farmers worried it can break out so easily again will be overwhelming, even if it is stopped now by incineration.

Stephen Feaster,

High Farm,

Cropton, Pickering.

...I UNDERSTAND foot and mouth takes two weeks to incubate and two to three weeks for the disease to run its course.

Way back, farmers used to put all infected animals - pigs, cattle, goats or lambs - together, quarantine them and let the disease run its course, after which the animals would be fine. There was no need for the mass slaughter and burning of livestock.

So why are we acting as we do? Economics and farming export policy.

Apparently we need to be certified free of foot and mouth to be able to export to Europe and other areas.

If we let the illness run its course then stock will have the antibodies and pass it onto their offspring and would not be certified free of this disease.

If we inoculated our livestock against foot and mouth, the stock would carry antibodies and not be certified free of the disease.

So for economic reasons, thousands of animals must die to free a land of a disease which is like a severe cold.

This is a disgraceful state for this country in which to be placed.

How can a Labour Government, which bans hunting for all the right reasons, condone their current action? It is hypocritical.

Debra Woodhall-James,

Bede Avenue, York.

...SO who is really to blame for the foot and mouth horror, with its nightmare images of Britain under siege, burning cattle and threatened livelihoods?

The farmer - desperately trying to compete with against cheap, foreign imports by selling his animals to the large abattoirs supplying the supermarkets?

The supermarkets - contractually bound to maintain their shareholders' profits by using bulk-buying power to locate the best deal, forcing animals to be carted all over Britain to provide cheap meat for the consumers?

Or the consumers themselves - previously known as customers?

With all the absolute necessities of modern life to be paid for, such as new cars, foreign holidays, elegant homes and garden improvements, computers and mobile phones, not to mention a hefty mortgage and a loan or two, cheap supermarket meat has unfortunately become the only affordable way to put food on the table for many families, even those with a reasonable income.

It's all a matter of priorities. So who's to blame? Judge for yourselves...

Martin Hayton,

Hallard Way,

Strensall, York.

...I HEARTILY agree with Pam Egan (March 4) who is happy to pay a little more for meat from animals which have been allowed to live more comfortably and be slaughtered more humanely.

We go to the family butcher in the next village - his meat and poultry are locally grown and can be eaten with a clearer conscience. There would be far fewer risks to the health of farm animals using small local abattoirs so that animals could be killed as near to home as possible.

I wish I could believe that Pam is in the majority in buying meat from local outlets, even if it costs more. But, sadly, many will always go for the cheapest option, irrespective of suffering to animals and hardship for those who grow or breed our food.

Farmers are expected to get by on a pittance because supermarkets have far too much say in fixing prices. Small wonder the sons of farmers no longer wish to go into the family business.

Heather Causnett,

Escrick Park Gardens,

Escrick, York.

Updated: 12:08 Friday, March 09, 2001