This is another welcome step on the return to normality for British farming

Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Carwyn Jones

Welsh Assembly Rural Affairs Minister Carwyn Jones said the announcement was welcome news to farmers and everyone who was badly hit by the crisis.

New biosecurity measures will reduce the possibility of further outbreaks.

Ministers said the new rules reflected the fact that there had been no new cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Wales since 12 August.

The testing and culling of animals cost millions

They said they struck a balance between the needs of industry and the veterinary advice that some disease control precautions are still necessary.

The changes allow livestock markets to re-open and establish a new interim regime for the movements of animals.

They also allow all footpaths to reopen, unless they pass through farmyards on affected farms and cannot be diverted.

Mr Jones said the news was a welcome step on the road back to normality for British farming.

Carwyn Jones said farmers must remain vigilant

"This is a step by step process based on a thorough assessment of the risks.

"The measures on livestock movements are still interim and discussions of the long-term arrangements will continue.

"Farmers must follow the strict biosecurity guidelines and keep up their guard to prevent any future spread of disease."

A brochure detailing the new arrangements is being posted to all Welsh farmers.

The information will also be available on the Assembly website.

Counting the cost

In January, the assembly revealed that the cost of the foot-and-mouth crisis on farming and tourism in Wales has reached nearly �500m.

The bill for compensating farmers and testing and culling animals - excluding civil service staff costs - totalled �107m.

A further �65m was set aside in rural aid packages by the assembly for crisis-hit farmers last July.

Measures to stop the disease have been intensive

In addition, the Wales Tourist Board has reported the industry's losses last year totalled �280m.

Mr Jones underlined that the costs were the direct responsibility of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), in London, and not that of the assembly administration.

Wales saw 118 confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth disease - many in Powys, mid Wales - which effectively closed down the farming and tourism industries last year.

The government lifted emergency restrictions last November and some livestock markets re-opened to act as collection centres.

Exports of lamb to Europe - a lucrative market for farmers - have slowly resumed.

Last autumn, the UK Rural Business Campaign - led by a Powys-based group - said it planned to launch legal action against the government for losses incurred.