Becoming a livestock keeper: complete compliance guide
- 1 step
UK Statutory Instrument
2006
United Kingdom
Foot-and-Mouth Disease (England) Order 2006
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
35 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide · 2 journeys
Penalty landscape
3 of 35 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 1 carries different penalties and 31 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 19
- Occupier 4
- Director or Officer 1
Plus 11 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Farmer compliance checklist
- 1 step
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Supporting — topic alignment
1 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 110 duties
- Licensing Act 2003 2003 105 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 97 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 86 duties
Occupiers also bound by 101 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (England/Wales comparison) 2005 23 duties
- Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 2006 21 duties
- Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (England) (No. 2) Order 2006 2006 15 duties
- Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2015 2015 13 duties
- Highways Act 1980 1980 12 duties
Directors and Officers also bound by 224 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 75 duties
- Companies Act 2006 2006 63 duties
- Insolvency Act 1986 1986 46 duties
- CCBSA 2014 2014 22 duties
- CAICEA 2004 2004 18 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1 — Introduction
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Interpretation
Extension of definitions of “animals” and “poultry”
Licences and declarations
Notices
Disinfection
Part 2 — Notification, suspicion and investigation of disease
Notice of suspicion of disease
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- APHA must notify occupiers of suspected or existing Foot-and-Mouth disease Statutory regulator
Suspicion of disease in animals in transit
- Clean and disinfect vehicles and equipment suspected of contamination Any Person
Veterinary inquiry into the existence of disease and declaration of suspect premises and infected premises
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- APHA must investigate suspected Foot-and-Mouth disease and designate premises Statutory regulator
Tracing of possible disease spread
Unlimited fineOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must designate and investigate suspect or contact premises Crown / Minister / Government department
Measures applicable in respect of a temporary control zone
- Comply with movement restrictions in a temporary control zone Any Person
Measures applicable in respect of a supplementary movement control zone
Unlimited fine- Do not move animals into, out of, or within a movement control zone Any Person
Diagnostic tests
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- National Reference Laboratory must use approved diagnostic tests Statutory regulator
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 3 — Measures following confirmation of disease
Tracing of products originating on infected premises
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must trace and manage items from infected premises Crown / Minister / Government department
Sampling and clinical examination of susceptible animals before slaughter
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must ensure veterinary examination before slaughter Crown / Minister / Government department
Slaughter: control of carcases
- Do not move animal carcasses from infected premises without a licence Any Person
Slaughter: control of faecal material
- Do not move animal waste from foot-and-mouth infected premises Any Person
Slaughter: cleansing and disinfection of premises other than slaughterhouses and border inspection posts
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must ensure disinfection of premises following slaughter Crown / Minister / Government department
Slaughter: cleansing and disinfection of slaughterhouses and border inspection posts
- Do not move animals onto premises until 24 hours after disinfection Any Person
Restocking of premises following slaughter
- Obtain a licence before restocking premises after disease slaughter Any Person
Declaration of protection zones and surveillance zones on confirmation of disease in Scotland or Wales
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must declare disease zones near Scotland or Wales borders Crown / Minister / Government department
Veterinary inspection of premises in protection zones and surveillance zones
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must ensure veterinary inspections of affected premises Crown / Minister / Government department
Power to prohibit entry to land or agricultural buildings in a protection zone
- Comply with entry prohibition notices in protection zones Any Person
Browse 11 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Notice of intention to slaughter animals
Place of slaughter
Slaughter: isolation of things liable to spread disease
Declaration of protection zones and surveillance zones on confirmation of disease in England
Protection zones and surveillance zones: general provisions
Measures applicable in respect of protection zones and surveillance zones
Amendment and revocation of declarations creating protection zones and surveillance zones
Declaration of a restricted zone
Measures applicable in respect of a restricted zone
Presence of disease in wild animals and declaration of a wild animal infected zone
Measures applicable in a wild animal infected zone
Part 4 — General and supplementary provisions
Production of licences
- Carry and produce movement licences for livestock Any Person
Duty of the local authority to erect signs
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Local authority must signpost Foot-and-Mouth disease control zones Local authority
Cleansing and disinfection of vehicles transporting susceptible animals
- Clean and disinfect vehicles transporting susceptible animals Any Person
Cleansing and disinfection of vehicles: provision of facilities, equipment and materials
- Provide vehicle disinfection facilities and materials on your premises Occupier
Marks applied under this Order
Unlimited fine- Do not remove or alter official disease control marks Any Person
Change of occupation of premises under restriction
- Maintain and allow access to animals when taking over restricted premises Any Person
Reasonable assistance
- Provide immediate assistance to APHA officers during an outbreak Any Person
False information
- Do not provide false or misleading information to inspectors Any Person
Compliance with notices and directions
- Pay for and comply with foot-and-mouth disease notices and directions Any Person
Production of records
- Produce records and allow copying during foot-and-mouth inspections Any Person
Retention of records
- Keep records of animal movements and vehicle disinfection Any Person
Offences by bodies corporate
6 months imprisonment- Corporate liability for foot‑and‑mouth disease offences via officer consent or neglect Director or Officer
Offences: no knowledge of restriction or requirement
- Demonstrate lack of knowledge as a defence for zone restriction breaches Any Person
Biosecurity standards for laboratories handling live foot-and-mouth disease virus
- Obtain a licence and authorisation to handle live foot-and-mouth virus Any Person
Contingency plans and exercises
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must conduct foot-and-mouth disease alert exercises Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 5 — Amendments and revocations
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Schedules
Measures applicable in respect of premises on suspicion and confirmation of disease
- Control disease spread on premises suspected of Foot-and-Mouth infection Occupier
Restocking of premises
- Follow strict veterinary controls when restocking animals after FMD Occupier
Measures applicable in respect of a restricted zone
- Comply with movement and activity restrictions in Foot-and-Mouth zones Occupier
Browse 1 other Schedule — structural / supplementary
Orders revoked
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- DAERA animal health and welfare (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Welsh Government animal health and welfare (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Soil Association organic poultry standards (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Red Tractor poultry assurance standards (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Scottish Government animal welfare policy (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Safeguards animal and plant health for the benefit of people, environment and economy. Issues export health certificates, manages disease outbreaks, operates veterinary …
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Browse legislation
Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.
Regulators
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.