A HIGH-POWERED European delegation of MEPs are due to visit Okehampton tomorrow (Friday), on a fact-finding visit to learn more about last year's devastating foot and mouth crisis.
The 12-strong delegation from the European Parliament's committee on foot and mouth disease are attending a public meeting at the conference room in Okehampton Police Station, starting at 9.30am.
The meeting forms part of a four-day visit to the UK, when the MEPs will visit farms in Devon, Wales and Gloucestershire and talk to farmers, vets, rural business owners and local politicians.
After tomorrow's meeting the delegates are to visit David Heard's farm at Okehampton.
West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett will join the European party while they are in the area.
Mr Burnett said he would be highlighting a wide range of issues at the meeting, including the 'illogical' policy of contiguous culling, problems with diagnosis of the disease and the Ash Moor burial pit.
'I shall also be bringing up the disposal problems and the apparent lack of competition in rendering and incineration, plus the lack of liaison between different departments of state and local authorities and groups,' said Mr Burnett.
Mr Burnett has already met members of the European foot and mouth committee when they toured Ash Moor and met farmers and NFU officials in Hatherleigh.
The MP has also given evidence to the Government's foot and mouth inquiry, chaired by Dr Ian Anderson.
The European Parliament's foot and mouth committee was set up in January.
It has a 12-month mandate to assess control of meat imports from third world countries, analyse the management of the foot and mouth epidemic and implementation of EU rules, investigate the vaccination policy and draw up an action plan to combat future animal disease outbreaks.