December 3, 2007

EU to allocate US$272 million for livestock disease prevention

The EU announced plans to fund US$272-million worth of programmes for the prevention and handling of animal diseases across the bloc in 2008.

Markos Kyprianou, EU Health Commissioner, said the plan is to fund 197 annual or multi-annual programmes to eradicate, control and observe diseases such as foot and mouth or scrapie and bird flu.

There has been a US$24-million increase in the EU's budget for combating diseases compared to last year due to the increase of catarrhal fever - suffered by sheep - in many member states.

The funding plan offers priority to diseases that could be passed on to consumers.

European funds to control salmonella in chickens will reach US$12 million in 2008, and will be offered to 19 member states.

This is three times the amount provided in 2007, which indicates salmonella as one of EU's main food safety concerns.

Observation for bird flu is also allocated with a US$6-million budget.

Meanwhile, the Commission sets aside US$90 million for the prevention of mad cow disease. Prevention and handling of scrapie gets US$26 million.