Fears that infected meat was exported
23 February 2001
Fears that infected meat was exported
By Alistair Driver
FEARS are growing that infected meat from the Essex abattoir at the centre of foot-and-mouth disease crisis may have been exported to the EU.
A German press release says 132 tonnes of meat were exported by Cheale Meats to Germany last week, according to the National Pig Association website.
The abattoir slaughters over 60% over the UKs cull sows. Some of the sows meat is exported to Germany to be made into sausages.
France is trying to track all pigs, cattle, sheep and goats imported from the UK in February.
French fears that contaminated meat may have been imported are compounded by concerns that the disease could have been carried across the channel on the wind.
Abattoir manager Paul Cheale confirmed that meat had been exported up to the time that foot-and-mouth was suspected at the abattoir.
He said: “We have exported meat every single day for the last 20 years to Germany and other countries.”
Meanwhile, MAFF vets are investigating at least 14 farms in Devon and Somerset that supplied pigs to Cheale Meats.
They have all been placed under movement restriction while vets establish whether disease is present.