Dont ease up controls
Dont ease up controls
MEAT industry measures designed to curb the spread of BSE should not be relaxed unless evidence shows feed controls adopted in 1996 are eradicating it, the Food Standards Agency will tell the government.
The FSA is currently reviewing BSE controls in place in the meat industry.
It has indicated that, when it presents its findings to government in the autumn, it may recommend disbanding the Over 30-month Scheme for cattle next year or in 2002. But, according to draft recommendations, it will insist evidence must show measures to eradicate BSE, such as tightening feed controls, have proved effective before cattle are allowed back into the food chain regardless of age.
The FSA appears unwilling to recommend significant relaxation of specified risk controls or the ban on animal feed ingredients, such as meat and bonemeal.
FSA chairman, Sir John Krebs, was forced acknowledged the need for the agency to investigate the safety of meat imports produced without the controls in place in the UK, after repeated protests from stakeholders.
Scottish NFU president, Jim Walker, said he was furious that, while Scotland and Northern Ireland qualify for low BSE incidence status, imports were coming in unchecked from countries where BSE is on the rise. *