Politicians in Co Antrim have objected to what they claim are plans to place a mass burial ground for foot-and-mouth-infected animals near the North's largest market.
Mr David Burnside, the Ulster Unionist Westminster candidate for South Antrim, said government sources told him the former Nutts Corner airfield would become the main burial site for carcasses in the event of a major outbreak of foot-and-mouth and mass cull of livestock.
After the disease was detected in Ardboe, Co Tyrone, and Cushendall, Co Antrim, the Department of Agriculture appointed consultants to conduct a risk assessment of possible mass burial sites across the North.
Mr Burnside said: "I believe the Department of Agriculture has decided that if a mass cull of animals is necessary in Northern Ireland, the main burial location for the animals will be at Nutts Corner." The area was "completely and utterly unsuitable", he said.
"If there has to be a mass cull . . . it should be located somewhere isolated, away from main roads and high population areas.
"There are plenty of places like that in Northern Ireland." Mr Jim Wilson, MLA for South Antrim, also expressed concern, saying he was quite sure "there are many other appropriate locations in the province". A Department of Agriculture spokesman said the final decision about the location of sites was a matter for the Executive, not the Department. The Executive said "no decisions or conclusions have been reached at this stage", and expressed the hope there would be no need for any site.