THE farming industry breathed a sigh of relief this week with news of the all-clear on the latest foot and mouth scare.

The good news came on the heels of a report that said the foot and mouth crisis cost the British economy £8 billion.

All tests carried out in connection with an investigation into a pig slaughtered last week at a Leicestershire abattoir showed negative results for both FMD and swine vesicular disease.

Movement restrictions imposed in East Yorkshire and Selby were lifted, but DEFRA reported that the origin of the animal was still being traced.

At Selby, the auction market was also given the green light. DEFRA believes the sow may have passed through the Selby market last Wednesday and it was closed while all its pig movement licences were checked.

Ralph Coward, a director of Selby auction mart, said: "We all believed the test results would be negative but it's still a big relief. It will be business as usual at our auction marts ... after being given a release note by DEFRA."

The NFU's North Yorkshire spokesman, Rob Simpson, said: "There will be massive relief for the whole of the farming industry that, once again, a suspect case has proved negative."

He said the case at least highlighted the authorities' determination to ensure that if another case did arise, there would be no repeat of last year's disastrous spread of the disease.

Updated: 10:02 Thursday, June 27, 2002