August 29, 2007

EU lifts ban on Welsh meat

The European Union has lifted the ban on meat exports, three weeks after the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease occurred in Surrey, England.

The ban was lifted by the European Commission on Friday (August 25), although restrictions on livestock gatherings for shows and sales remain in place as a precaution.

Rees Roberts, chairman of the Welsh meat promotion agency Hybu Cig Cymru said the lifting of the ban has been very important for the livestock industry in Wales which is deemed to generate at least GBP2 million (US$3.99 million) a week.

Exports of British livestock, meat and dairy products resumed after senior veterinary officers meeting on Thursday (August 24) in Brussels agreed to relax the controls when no new cases of the disease were reported for more than a fortnight.

A temporary three-mile bio-security area has been imposed around the two animal health laboratories in Pirbright which are at the centre of the investigation into the cause of the outbreak.

Wales Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones said the reopening of the EU market for Welsh farm produce, particularly for lamb, was vital to the economic wellbeing of the Welsh livestock industry.

Farmers' Union of Wales President Gareth Vaughan warmly welcomed the resumption of exports. He said, Welsh farmers will be greatly relieved following estimates that Wales was losing GBP285,000 (US$569,914) per day due to the restrictions put in place on Welsh lamb and Welsh beef exports.