Signal 2001 foot and mouth outbreak cost the UK over 8 billion pounds

Summary

The report cites the UK's 2001 foot and mouth outbreak as an example of how devastating animal disease can be economically. The outbreak cost the UK more than 8 billion pounds overall. The report adds that endemic diseases such as bovine tuberculosis also cost the UK government 70 million pounds every year. Outbreaks can lead to import bans, as when the EU banned British beef for ten years after the BSE outbreak. The report also expects such events to affect public trust and consumer behaviour and to leave serious mental health problems among those directly affected, such as farmers and vets.