THE 20-day whole-farm standstill is to end on March 4 for all livestock, except pigs.

It would be replaced by a six-day standstill, said Lord Whitty, Food and Farming Minister, yesterday, though there would be far fewer movement exemptions.

The shorter standstill is also be subject to a firm commitment from the livestock industry to a package of measures to improve biosecurity and disease surveillance.

The announcement follows Defra's cost benefit and risk analyses, made after the Lessons Learned and Royal Society inquiries last year.

The Order setting out the six-day standstill expires on July 31, so that the position can be reviewed at the end of May, but Lord Whitty stressed that a 20-day standstill could return.

"We will not hesitate to move back to a 20-day standstill system if the risk of disease increases or if farmers are found to be flouting the six-day movement system," he said.

The National Beef Association, anticipating the measure, had already urged livestock farmers in England and Wales to co-operate fully with any new restrictions in a shorter standstill period.

Defra's reviews had highlighted that the livestock sector could operate more efficiently without jeopardising national disease security if the hated 20-day farm lock-up was replaced by a six-day standstill with only a limited number of movement exemptions, explained NBA chief executive, Robert Forster.

"However Defra has said it can agree to a new six-day rule only if it is confident farmers will guarantee high levels of compliance and accept tough treatment for those who break the rules," he said. "It would be extremely unfortunate if this golden opportunity to escape the strait-jacket of a three-week lock-up period was lost."

Livestock farmers would be relieved by the announcement, said the NFU yesterday. Earlier this month members had protested in Newcastle and Leeds against the 20-day rule.

"I hope that this package is the start of a new way of working betwen Government and farmers - one that produces results without the need to resort to regulation based on the lowest common denominator," said NFU deputy president, Tim Bennett.

Mr Bennett also backed the need to deal with individuals who continuously put the security of the livestock sector at risk and the NFU welcomed Defra's plan to consult the industry on action on illegal imports.