Farmers across Oxfordshire are collecting signatures for a petition urging the Government to tighten controls on illegal imports in the wake of the foot and mouth crisis.
The signatures will be gathered in the run up to the Labour Party conference in Brighton and will be handed over to MPs on Monday, October 1.
The petition, which has been organised by the National Farmers' Union, calls on the Government to increase funding and staffing levels of organisations checking imports, introduce on-the-spot fines for travellers who break the rules and give port health authorities greater powers.
NFU south east policy advisor, William White said: "Foot and mouth has all but devastated our agricultural industry, damaging the rural economy as a whole. Tightening up import controls will at least help to keep out this and other virulent plant, animal and human diseases."
Anyone willing to help collect signatures should call 01730 40800.
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