October 5, 2007

UK beef exports to resume next week

British beef and lamb exports would resume October 12 - if there are no more foot and mouth outbreaks beyond an existing 200km (124 mile) high-risk area in Surrey, the area where FMA was originally reported.

The decision was taken yesterday by EU veterinary experts from the 27 member states.

However, the whole UK would remain a "high-risk" category area with strict conditions on meat exports from most of the country.

British officials in Brussels welcomed the decision.

If exports do resume, strict animal health rules will apply.

For 30 days before slaughter, the animals earmarked for export will have to be kept on the same farm, and for 21 days before they are moved, there must have been no new "susceptible livestock" brought on to the holding.

Animals providing meat for export must be killed at the slaughterhouse immediately, with inspections before and after death to identify any signs of foot-and-mouth disease.

The meat would be held in quarantine for 24 hours, and then only exported if there is no suspicion of disease at the farm of origin.