DRASTIC plans to fight the spread of mad cow disease across Europe were
agreed this week by European Union agriculture ministers. The new rules will
close a loophole left by earlier controls agreed last month, which would have
pushed a surge of BSE-infected meat onto European plates.
From January, no livestock feed in the EU will contain rendered animal
remains, except for fat. More dramatically, the ministers stated that 鈥渁nimals
more than 30 months old which have not been tested [for BSE] cannot enter the
food chain鈥�. This will also apply from January. As testing will not be available
at all EU abattoirs for at least six months, this means at least three million
cattle will have to be incinerated.
The agreement by ministers has closed a potentially lethal loophole. Last
month, public anxiety over BSE soared across Europe after dozens of mad cows
were reported in France. EU ministers responded by decreeing that, starting in
January, all 鈥渉igh-risk鈥� animals, which are either found dead or are destroyed
for reasons unrelated to BSE, must be tested for the disease. They also agreed
to test all animals over 30 months old before they could be eaten. But those
tests were to start six months or more later
(New 杏吧原创, 2 December, p 7).
Advertisement
When Switzerland started testing high-risk cattle last year, it realised that
this posed a problem. At that time, Switzerland slaughtered a farmer鈥檚 entire
herd if one of the cows tested positive for BSE. 鈥淲e were concerned that a
farmer with a cow that wasn鈥檛 well might try taking her for slaughter, rather
than risk letting her become a casualty,鈥� says Marcus Doherr of the Swiss
Federal Veterinary Office. Farmers who did this would avoid the risk of losing
their entire herd. 鈥淪o we also started testing random cows in abattoirs, to make
that route less tempting,鈥� says Doherr.
All EU countries except Britain slaughter any herd in which one case of BSE
is found. So testing high-risk cattle from January, but not testing cows taken
to abattoirs, might encourage farmers across the EU to take potential casualties
to market. This week鈥檚 agreement in Brussels means that all such cattle will now
be incinerated, rather than eaten.
Officials in Brussels agree that this will prevent what might otherwise have
been a surge of infected meat onto the market. Unwell animals might harbour as
much BSE as reported 鈥渉igh-risk鈥� cattle鈥攚hich in Switzerland were found to
have 12 times the incidence of BSE compared with ordinary stock.
But incinerating millions of cows will be an enormous task, especially as it
could be a long time before tests are available in abattoirs. 鈥淪uch a huge
number of tests will be a logistical nightmare,鈥� says Stephen Rossides, head of
food health and science at Britain鈥檚 National Farmers鈥� Union.
It will also be expensive. Britain already applies both measures agreed by
the EU this week. It has destroyed 4.6 million cattle since 1996, leaving
663,000 tonnes of remains to be burnt. Just storing it until the incinerators
are ready has cost 拢575 million.
The Commission has agreed to help out by paying 70 per cent of the
incineration bill for the EU until tests are ready.
The ministers banned animal remains in feed for pigs, chicken and fish for
six months, while member states bring in measures to stop it contaminating
cattle feed. But public feeling in Europe against such feeds could prevent their
ever being used again.