Farmers faced with the worst floods in living memory at the height of summer must have thought things could not get much worse - then foot-and-mouth reared its head.

Small wonder that a recent study published in the British Medical Journal said that farmers have worse health, poorer quality of life and lower productivity than employees in any other sector.

A higher risk of accidents, concerns over a future they cannot control and the burden of red tape all add to the pressures of modern farming.

Following the foot-and-mouth disaster of six years ago, farmers more recently have been facing not only floods, but the threat of bird flu and TB.

This time, Government appears to have reacted more swiftly to contain the outbreak of the disease. We sincerely hope it has. Much of the rural economy is fragile and the countryside cannot afford to see another tragedy unfold like last time.