The government has pledged to push for legislative changes which could help farmers deal with the ban on on-farm burial of dead stock.

In a government response  to an indepedent review of the National Fallen Stock Collection Scheme, DEFRA said there was no scope for reversing the ban but it recognised the need for, and was willing to encourage the EU commission to propose, some rule changes.

Assuming the European Food Safety Authority agreed, it would push for the development of low cost novel methods to be used for disposal of fallen stock, it said.

Although they might not effectively deal with TSEs in ruminants, they could be suitable for other fallen stock.

It added that the government could also lobby for more risk-based controls on the fallen stock processing industry, so as to control the regulatory burden and costs they incur.

Referring to the fact that many farmers are unconvinced of the need for the burial ban, the report said that DEFRA was developing a new communications strategy.

“It believes that it is vital for the farming industry to have confidence in the Animal By-Products Regulation and to understand the reasoning behind the burial ban if it is to comply with the law.

“To this end the government is developing a communications strategy which will better articulate the reasoning behind the ban on on-farm burial of stock, aimed at particular sectors where there are concerns about the level of compliance, such as the sheep sector.”