NFU Scotland Welcomes EU Exports Decision
UK - NFU Scotland has welcomed today’s (Tuesday) decision from the European Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) allowing meat exports from most of Great Britain to resume as normal and without restriction following the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak.
7 November 2007
1 minute read
"The 21-day standstill restriction for exports was particularly crippling for many businesses and they will be glad to wave goodbye to that."
Stewart Wood, NFU Scotland Vice-President
The zone immediately around the previously infected farms will remain banned from the export market and the export of live animals, semen and embryos are still not permitted and that ban is likely to remain in place until the end of the year, until Great Britain is recognised as FMD-free by the world animal health body (OIE).
Stewart Wood, NFU Scotland Vice-President, said:
“The details of today’s decision are still sketchy but it looks like very good news. Getting exports back to normality will be a helpful boost for livestock farmers at what is a very difficult time.
“Over three months without normal exports has had a hugely detrimental effect on the livestock industry, particularly for sheep producers.
“The 21-day standstill restriction for exports was particularly crippling for many businesses and they will be glad to wave goodbye to that.
“It will take a long time to fully recover but hopefully we can begin to see some of the benefits of renewed exports shortly and prices can start to reflect this positive move.
TheCattleSite News Desk
