Northern Ireland ministers are to be briefed today on efforts to establish that Northern Ireland meat and dairy exports are not affected by the foot-and-mouth outbreak in Surrey.

The First Minister and the Deputy First Minister will attend a briefing at Stormont along with Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew.

Thursday's briefing will update Ministers and senior civil servants on measures to prevent foot-and-mouth disease spreading to Northern Ireland and attempts to safeguard the export trade of the local agricultural food industry.

Northern Ireland firms that are exempt from the EU ban on exporting British meat have experienced problems in shipping meat and dairy products to some countries.

EU restrictions banning livestock and dairy from the UK will continue until 25 August and culling has been ordered on a third farm in Surrey, next to the second farm already affected, on suspicion that foot-and-mouth disease could be developing there.

Stormont officials were keen to stress that during the briefing ministers are essentially being kept up to speed as to what is being done to ensure that foot-and-mouth remains out of Northern Ireland.

Ministers will also be informed as to what is being done to ensure that Northern Ireland does not lose vital export markets.

Since the Surrey outbreak the Executive has insisted that it will keep all the key players involved up to speed.

(SB)