LONDON, U.K. (Reuters) – Britain’s farm ministry says it has accepted a proposal to allow some older cattle to enter the food chain, opening the way for the removal of one of the main measures used to combat BSE.
The news provided a major boost to Britain’s beef industry, which was devastated in 1995 following an outbreak of BSE in the nation’s herds.
More than 140 people in Britain are thought to have died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, the human form of BSE.
“We estimate this move will see an additional 185,000 tonnes of British beef come back to the market in 2006, representing a 27 percent increase in home production,” said Kevin Roberts, director general of Britain’s Meat and Livestock Commission.
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The farm ministry said in a statement that its decision would allow new legislation to be introduced to replace the over 30 months rule, or OTM.
There is now an automatic ban on all older cattle from entering the human food chain.
The ministry said the new testing system was set to replace the OTM rule on Nov. 7, although changes in export restrictions were not expected to come into force before early 2006.
Britain is 60 percent self-sufficient in beef, according to the Meat and Livestock Commission, which forecast that production would rise to 875,000 tonnes in 2006, up from a projected 743,000 tonnes in 2005 but still well below the 974,000 tonnes seen in 1995.
The move was based on advice from Britain’s Food Standards Agency.
Cattle born before Aug. 1, 1996, will continue to be excluded from the food chain.
“It is excellent news that we will soon be able to increase our supplies of home-produced beef,” British farm minister Margaret Beckett said.
“We will also be working in Brussels to ensure that beef from U.K. cattle born on or after Aug. 1, 1996, can be exported as soon as possible.”
