Last Friday while I drove up to Owen Sound listening to BBC podcasts, I was reminded that there were other sad events in 2001 besides the terrible plane crashes on Sept. 11. Foot and mouth disease didn't kill any people, but it led to the slaughter of hundreds of farm animals in a few weeks of probably mismanaged response to a serious agricultural threat. The documentary began with a Devon farmer, whose 15 years of sheep breeding achievements will never be matched again, in his opinion. He said that he knew the individuals among his herd of about 1000, and suffered immensely when they were slaughtered and burned.

Farmers who lost livestock were compensated, but the other businesses affected were left to struggle or fold. Tourism, especially in the Lake District, was crippled; then the fear and increased security arising from the September disasters in the US made things even worse.

And the outcome? Officials apparently learned better ways to prevent such a crisis, although they are still battling the farmers' union on a foot and mouth vaccine. The general election was delayed and the Ministry of Agriculture was subsequently reorganized into another ministry (yawn). Tourism to the most affected areas has begun to recover. But the most interesting result is evident on the fells, according to a botanist who was interviewed. With far fewer sheep grazing the hillsides, several species of wildflowers have been flourishing, some of them previously unknown.