January 26, 2004

 

 

UK Beef Industry Calls For OTMS Removal

 

There is an urgent need for UK Prime Minister Tony Blair to lift the OTMS if the beef industry is to remain sustainable.

 

"It is a worry to the beef industry that the UK health ministers have not yet agreed to lift the OTMS," said National Beef Association chief executive, Robert Forster.

 

"The reason for their delay appears to be that they are looking at the Food Standards Agency report from purely a health point of view.

 

"The FSA said that re-introduction of OTM beef would do no harm, yet the Department of Health can see no benefit to public health, so it questions why the ban should be lifted."

 

The OTMS, which disposes of all cattle over 30 months old, currently costs almost £400m a year, and has been running since 1996.

 

But the money comes from DEFRA's budget, not the Department of Health.

 

"The cost to the taxpayer is enormous," said Mr Forster.

 

"We need the intervention from a senior government minister, essentially we are talking about the Prime Minister, to look at this from a cross-government point of view."

 

Procedures already marked out for removing the OTMS will take seven months from the time health ministers agree.

 

But Mr Forster still remains confident OTM beef will be on sale by the end of the year.

 

At a press conference on Tues (Jan 20), organised by the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW), there were suggestions that the decision might not be taken until after the next General Election.

 

"We desperately need the UK health ministers to take the necessary action," said Isla Roebuck, SAMW president.

 

"It is vital, in terms of consumer confidence, that they do, especially when we see the total confusion caused in the USA after just one cow tested positive for BSE."

 

A spokesman for the Department of Health confirmed that ministers had reached no decision and added there was no indication as to when an announcement might be made.