Heifer International Launches Recovery Campaign for UK Farmers

Heifer Project International
Tuesday, 1 May 2001

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas- Since January of 2001, more than 2 million animals-cows, sheep, goats and pigs-have been slaughtered in the United Kingdom to eradicate the highly infectious livestock disease foot-and- mouth. The total agricultural losses are predicted to exceed $720 million. UK government reports state that the disease was contained by the end of March, due to the rapid-slaughter approach.

Although the peak of the epidemic has passed, small-scale farmers, who were already struggling economically before the foot-and-mouth outbreak, have been severely hurt and will have difficulty surviving. British government policy required that all infected animals be slaughtered within 24 hours of the positive diagnosis. In addition, policy required that any susceptible animals in close proximity to infected animals be slaughtered in order to contain the rapidly spreading disease. This often meant generations of top livestock breeds were wiped out. For these helpless farmers, their only livelihood and their entire way of life were destroyed along with the livestock.

At its inception, Heifer International helped farmers rebuild in Europe after WWII by shipping cows and providing training to impoverished families. Today, HPI-along with its sister organization in the UK, Send-a-Cow-is committed to helping UK farmers recover from the devastation of foot-and-mouth disease as soon as restocking farms is safe. In the meantime, Heifer will provide feed for surviving animals that are no longer of market value but can be used for breeding in the future. The organization will also supply micro-credit loans in cooperation with the UK government.

Every donation Heifer and other charitable organizations contribute to efforts for the recovery from foot-and- mouth disease will be matched, dollar for dollar, by the British government. Heifer has set a goal of raising $250,000 for the recovery efforts in the hardest hit areas of the UK.

In 47 countries, including the United States, Heifer currently supports more than 300 projects, which create sustainable small-scale farm enterprises that improve nutrition and supplement income.

By providing livestock, Heifer promotes self-reliance, builds self-esteem and helps families lift themselves out of poverty. Not only are families trained in the proper care and maintenance of each animal, but they are also required to "pass on the gift" by giving one or more of their animal's offspring to another family in need, bringing Heifer Project that much closer to fulfilling its goal of ending world hunger-one family, one community, one country at a time.

For more information, or to contact Heifer Project International, see their website at: www.heifer.org