THE threat of foot-and-mouth is as great today as it was three months ago.

"We know it springs up over and over again and if we once let up in our care to sort it out it will spring up again," Sir Edward Greenwell, deputy president of the Country Land and Business Association, warned last week.

He added his voice to calls for a public inquiry into the handling of the crisis, but believed it should be Europe-wide.

"This has been the biggest foot-and-mouth outbreak in any civilised country and lessons must be learnt," said Sir Edward. "We believe there should be an EU-wide inquiry so we all know what to do if it springs up again."

Sir Edward was speaking at a press conference at Hardwick Hall hotel, Sedgefield, before the annual meeting of the North-East CLA.

He believed the government might be reluctant to hold an inquiry because "people would be on the line", but it had to be done.

One thing that the crisis had highlighted was the importance of farming to the rural economy. "There was a feeling beforehand that farming was almost a sunset industry and could be allowed to go into decline," said Sir Edward. "but there is clear evidence now that farming has to be kept alive."

A CLA survey of non-farming businesses, carried out in May, had revealed the average loss was £20,000 - income lost for good.

"One of the most striking things has been the interdependence between agriculture and tourism and a lot of other businesses which no-one would have thought would be affected by foot-and-mouth," said Sir Edward.

He pointed out that farming had been in dire straits before foot-and-mouth struck and feared that the autumn could bring even more trouble.

Rates relief for those affected by foot-and-mouth was due to run out at the end of this month, with no sign so far that it would be extended and this worried Sir Edward. He believed it must be extended, certainly for three and possibly for up to nine, months.

Interest-free loans for businesses had not been forthcoming.

He argued that the many agencies which could help businesses and farms should seek out those they could help, and not leave it to the individual to contact them.

He was scathing about this country's import controls and suggested mock exercises should be held to see what to do if foot-and-mouth returned.

Sir Edward, whose family owned Greenwell Farm near Wolsingham many years ago, travelled by train from his East Suffolk home and was shocked to see the poor state of many crops.

"We might find ourselves in autumn facing a melt-down in the arable sector," he said. "I was shocked to see the awful crops on the way up here; field after field with great holes in them and some in set-aside because there had been no crop.

"We could see cash pressure in the autumn without a doubt, and may need assistance at that time."

Sir Edward welcomed the abolition of MAFF and the new Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The CLA had campaigned for 25 years for just such a department where farming and rural matters would all be under one roof