The French Minister of Agriculture today (Friday, October 17) confirmed that a ban on all cattle leaving mainland France is set to be introduced to prevent Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) from spreading.

Minister Annie Genevard has announced new "emergency brake" measures that will come into effect tomorrow (October 18) and remain in place until November 4.

This export ban will also have a serious knock on effect for the live cattle export trade from Ireland as France is effectively in lockdown from tomorrow.

Industry sources told Agriland that while trade continued today, from tomorrow the new ban will have a "desperate impact" on Ireland for 15 days.

France notified the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)  of its first case of LSD, which was confirmed earlier this year on June 29, on a cattle farm in Chambery.

LSD is a strictly animal, viral disease that is not transmissible to humans.

The French government said that the recent appearance of several isolated LSD outbreaks - one outbreak in Ain, three outbreaks in Jura, and three outbreaks in Occitanie - "is worrying and is probably the result of animal movements, some of which are illegal".

It said the current situation "undermines the confidence of our European partners, who are closely monitoring the development of the disease in France".

France

The French Minister of Agriculture today convened the country's National Steering Committee for Animal and Plant Health Policy and confirmed that a number of new measures would be introduced in a bid to limit the spread of the disease these include:

Ban on all festive gatherings - competitions, fairs, exhibitions - throughout metropolitan France;
Ban in all regions in regulated zones - Auvergne, Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comte and Occitanie - on markets for cattle intended for breeding;
Ban on all cattle leaving mainland France to prevent the virus from spreading outside France.

The French government has also warned that severe sanctions will be applied if these measures are breached.

It intends to impose fines for non-compliance with movement restriction measures which will be "increased in the event of a repeat offense".

There will be no compensation from the state "for depopulation if infections result from prohibited behavior".

The government has also outlined that the "emergency brake" measures will be "lifted on November 5, if the health situation allows".

Minister Annie Genevard said: "I have decided to implement these reinforced measures because the failure to comply with the rules relating to the movement of cattle is the source of the spread of the disease in France and the intolerable delay, for everyone, in ending the crisis.

"I thank the responsible professionals who have mobilised and made significant efforts for more than three months. We must not let up; I call on everyone to be responsible in applying the measures. I will ensure that the French market is protected from any speculative risk."