EU eases foot and mouth disease export restrictions

Export controls are to be eased further, allowing meat and meat products to be shipped from the whole of Great Britain, following an agreement by EU vets in Brussels on Tuesday (20 November).

The decision, which will come into force in about 14 days time, means that Great Britain will now be split into two areas – a foot-and-mouth “restricted export area” and a “free export area”.

The restricted area covers a small number of counties and districts around the August and September outbreaks, including Bracknell Forest, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham, South Buckinghamshire, Hampshire Country Districts of Hart and Rushmoor, Surrey County and several London boroughs (see map). Farmers within this area will be subject to some export conditions, expected to include a 21-day standstill requirement.

Livestock in the free export area will be eligible for export, only requiring a health certificate.

This decision follows the lifting of meat export controls across a large part of the UK on Monday (19 November), as agreed by EU vets two weeks ago.

NFU livestock board chairman Thomas Binns greeted both developments. “Given the quality of our beef and lamb and the fact that currency markets are running in our favour, there is no reason why exports of beef and lamb should not be rapidly re-built, with an uplift in prices to match.”

But auctioneers consider such a hike in prices ‘over optimistic’. Mark Cleverdon, auctioneer at Ashford Market in Kent remarked: “It may not be until the spring when we will be able to take advantage of export outlets, and then only if the overhang in the market caused by foot-and-mouth doesn’t distort the market.”

Chief executive of the National Sheep Association Peter Morris said the move recognised the extensive surveillance work that has been carried out to deal with the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

“The lifting of restrictions will help to boost prices for lambs which meet specification, but it’s important for those further up the supply chain to recognise the financial pressure on producers and respond through better prices for the domestic market.”

Meanwhile, NFU Scotland is calling for a rapid resumption of live exports from north of the border. The proposed date of 1 January, 2008 is unacceptable, it says. 

“We desperately need this (live) trade to resume to help us get out of the crisis caused by the outbreak,” said NFUS vice-president Stewart Wood.