Growing call for permanent MBM ban
Growing call for permanent MBM ban
PRESSURE is mounting for a permanent ban on meat and bonemeal in all EU animal feed from July, as Europe continues to reel from the collapse in consumer confidence due to the BSE crisis.
There is only a temporary ban on the controversial feed ingredient which, until the start of this year, had still been going into pig and poultry rations on the Continent in significant quantities. This runs out at the end of June.
Recent comments by food safety commissioner, David Byrne, had suggested there could be a scope for a return of MBM, so long as the conditions and science were right, (News, March 16).
But at this weeks farm council in Brussels, ministers from Austria, Spain and Portugal called for the ban to be made permanent, while other member states said it should be extended beyond June 30.
Mr Byrne warned ministers that there could be problems with the World Trade Organisation in banning a product if it was proven safe. *