August 7, 2007: Foot and Mouth Scare
The jubilation of another weekend and being able to attend weekend trials was dashed late Friday evening with news of an outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) in Surrey, southern England. The mere mention of Foot and Mouth evokes great fear in the hearts of farmers. The economic impacts can be devastating not just for farmers but rural communities as a whole. We lived in Alberta during the most recent BSE outbreak in cattle. Although a world away from Scotland, the reaction of farmers here has been similar to Alberta cattle farmers.

Economic impacts aside, the emotional and psychological toll of a FMD outbreak is devastating. The mood appears to swing from worry to abject terror...depending somewhat upon promixity to Surrey, or whether or not one lost stock in the previous FMD outbreak in 2001. Many are reliving the experience of 2001. Up here, it is, for the most part, business as usual. Obviously stock movement bans and the cancellation of markets is having an appreciable impact and will for the immediate future. However, the weaning of lambs, sorting of stock, foot trimming and general animal husbandry tasks continue. There is guarded optimism that this FMD outbreak will be quickly contained, although news today of a second outbreak of the disease has been a blow to this optimism.

A disappointing outcome of a FMD outbreak is the cancellation or postponement of sheepdog trials. The Welsh National has been postponed and likely the English and Scottish Nationals will follow suit. How this will impact the International is unknown at this time. The costs to stage these events are sunk costs so any postponement or cancellation can materially impact the long term feasability of these events. Our thoughts are with the farmers who are directly and indirectly impacted by FMD, however, we are also thinking about the event organizers who work so hard and often thanklessly to stage the very events that we so longingly look forward to attending, either as spectators or competitors. May this outbreak be quickly and effectively contained - for all concerned.

Perhaps if the International is postponed, we may just have to visit London again. The British Museum is hosting the Terracotta Warriors! Wow, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see such magnificent pieces of history. There can always be a silver lining to every cloud.

Our good friends, Dave and Jenny Irvine-Halliday, graced Scotland with their presence this week - enroute 'home' to Canada. Although we did not get a chance to visit with them, we did get to catch up with them on the telephone. Dave and Jenny are the brains, braun and beauty behind The Light Up the World Foundation, a humanitarian organization bringing ultra-efficient and durable lighting solutions powered by renewable energy to the world's poor in ecologically sensitive and remote rural areas. They have been in Africa working on several projects in Ghana and South Africa. Dave and Jenny epitomize "goodness" in this world and their generosity of spirit, humbleness and philanthrophy are daily reminders of what is important in life.

Oh, we have had a little more time for cottage renovations. Painting is well underway - and will be a work-in-progress for many weeks to come!

Archives:
August 3, 2007 Country bumpkins go to London
July 28, 2007 Whales and Wales
July 21, 2007 Blood sampling ewes.
July 16, 2007 A week of gathering sheep