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19 December, 2008

Age threshold will increase to 48 months from 1 January 09

Following the agreement of the Food Standards Agency and Health Ministers, the age threshold above which all cattle slaughtered for human consumption in England must be tested for BSE will increase to 48 months from 1 January 2009.

This change only applies to cattle born in the UK or other EU15 Member States.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have already issued press notices. A press notice from Defra is expected next week.


11 November, 2008

DEFRA INTERNATIONAL TRADE

To advise exporters of livestock and livestock genetics and meat of a pilot partnership which will inject extra resource towards improving access to more non-EU country markets.

UK Exports Certification Partnership


3 November, 2008 - DEFRA News Release

New Bovine TB eradication group for England

The Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, has today announced that Defra and the English Cattle Industry have agreed to form a new Bovine TB Eradication Group. This will be a joint Defra/Industry group and its remit is set out below. The exact membership of the group will be finalised shortly.

Bovine TB Eradication Group

A new England group on eradication of TB in cattle will be set up to make recommendations to the Secretary of State on bovine TB and its eradication. The membership of the group will include representatives from Defra’s Food and Farming Group, Animal Health, the farming industry and the veterinary profession, and it will be convened and facilitated by Defra. The Group may invite other experts to contribute to its work as necessary, including other industry bodies and wider interest groups. It will also draw on the advice of the Commission’s TB Task Force, which will be invited to visit GB in early 2009.

The group will review the current TB strategy and control measures and develop a plan for reducing the incidence of bovine TB from cattle in England and moving towards eventual eradication. It will also assess options to help farmers in high incidence areas maintain viable businesses when under disease restrictions. A priority output from the work of this group will be a series of measures which can be submitted to the European Commission for approval as part of a formal eradication plan. The group may wish to make recommendations on other issues as they arise, and Defra may also choose to refer specific issues to the group.

The group will look at the options available to address infection in cattle and to reduce the risk of transmission between cattle and between cattle and wildlife, and consider costs and benefits in making recommendations for action. It will consider options for using vaccination in cattle and badgers. It will also consider any exceptional circumstances or new scientific evidence that might arise relating to the established policy on badger culling for control of TB, recognising that the terms of this policy are currently subject to judicial review.

In carrying out this work the group will have full access to information on Defra’s TB budget and be able to make recommendations on its use within Defra’s funding ceilings. It will also be able to make recommendations for additional expenditure where these can be supported by a robust business case.

Hilary Benn said:

“I welcome the establishment of this joint government-industry group. It is a step forward in moving towards the long-term goal of eradicating bovine TB. The Group will have difficult issues to consider on what further steps we can together take to improve disease control and deliver benefits for both the industry and the taxpayer."

"We have worked hard over recent months to find a way government and industry can come together on this and I am pleased we have reached an agreement which can carry us forward."


Copy of a letter sent to DEFRA regarding Badger culling from Fiona Sloan pdf

Compensation for Bovine TB, BSE, Brucellosis and Enzootic Bovine LeukosisCompensation payable during February 2008, in England (and in Wales and Scotland for BSE only) for a bovine animal compulsorily slaughtered for disease control purposes will be as detailed. [more]

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