Farmers hail end of beef ban
02 August 1999
Farmers hail end of beef ban
FARMERS across the country celebrated yesterday (Sunday) with barbecues and beef roasts to mark the official ending of the beef export ban.
But there were indications that the recovery of markets lost abroad by the ban will be more difficult.
The Times reports that many of Frances largest meat suppliers said they would not touch a product still tainted after the scare of “mad cow” disease. It quotes two, of the Casino and Carrefour supermarket chains, expressing such views.
The same newspaper reports a similar “bleak” situation in Germany. British beef will not be approved for sale in the country until at least the end of September.
Again The Times quotes a source to support its contention that British product will be difficult to sell.
St Merryn Meat Limited, of Probus, Cornwall, remains undeterred by the lack of Continental enthusiasm. It is poised to be the first company in the UK to break back into the European market.
St Merryn has applied for an export licence and is willing to invest in the cost of inspections demanded by the European Union.
The Independent reports in a front page story that tests that could identify cattle infected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) are being ignored.
The European Union has apparently not required that beef for export be tested with any of three clinical tests validated by the European Commission.
- No cash for beef export push, FWi, 15 July, 1999
- Struggle ahead despite end to beef export ban, FWi, 27 November, 1998
- The Times 02/08/99 page 10
- The Independent 02/08/99 page 1
- Financial Times 02/08/99 page 8 (News Digest)
- The Guardian 02/08/99 page 5 (In Brief), 15 (Editorial)
- The Daily Telegraph 02/08/99 page 9
- The Scotsman 02/08/99 page 5