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UK declared F&M-free
23/01/2002 12:11 - (SA)
London - The World Organisation for Animal Health has declared Britain free of foot-and-mouth disease, paving the way for the full resumption of meat exports.
The ruling by the Paris-based body could see British meat, meat products and dairy products back on the tables of many foreign countries soon. Some European Union restrictions on British meat imports will remain.
The statement came a week after the British government declared the country free of foot-and-mouth and almost a year after the first outbreak of the disease that led to the culling of more than 4 million animals.
Richard Lowe, marketing director of Britain's Meat and Livestock Commission, said farmers had been preparing for the announcement.
"We have kept in contact with our customers in non-EU countries throughout the epidemic and will be talking to them again over the next few days," Lowe said on Tuesday. "I am confident we can get exports started again very quickly."
Exports of British beef, lamb and pork, along with live pigs,
already have restarted within Europe but all require a special
animal health certificate.
The EU's veterinary committee last Wednesday agreed to lift
restrictions on the final county affected by the disease -
Northumberland in northern England - meaning all Britain can now
export live pigs and fresh pork, beef and sheep meat. But the EU's ban on exports of live sheep and goats remains in place and an embargo on British cattle stays because of mad cow disease.
The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease almost a year ago touched more than 2 000 British farms and led the EU to impose a worldwide ban on exports of livestock and most meat products. The ban has been phased out in recent months as the disease abated.
Foot-and-mouth is a highly contagious disease that causes
wasting in cloven-hoofed animals such as cows, sheep and pigs.
While neither fatal to animals nor infectious in humans, it can
ravage a country's livestock trade.
The disease cost British taxpayers almost $2.1 billion in
compensation, disinfecting, vets and slaughterers bills, according to the latest government figures. - Sapa-AP
- SAPA
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