Live animal and meat movement restrictions eased

The European Commission (EC) has recently agreed to ease certain restrictions imposed as part of the Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) controls on the movement of live animals and meat to and from the province to Great Britain.

The Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Bríd Rodgers, said: “This is very good news for those farmers and businesses in Northern Ireland wishing to open up trade again in the GB market. While trade is restricted to certain counties and subject to stringent conditions, it is an important step forward”.

In relation to the export of live animals to Great Britain, the recent decision by the EC’s Standing Veterinary Committee (SVC), allows the conditional resumption of exports to Great Britain of foot and mouth disease (FMD) susceptible animals from other Member States, including Northern Ireland.

However, the animals must only enter Great Britain via designated ports of entry in FMD-free counties; the Member State of despatch (or NI authorities) must provide DEFRA with 3 days advance notice; there can only be one consignment per vehicle and the consignment must go direct to a holding in an FMD-free county.

The exports from Northern Ireland can resume only after the SVC’s decision has been published and the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in Great Britain puts in place all the necessary licensing arrangements. When this DEFRA documentation is ready the Department of Agriculture & Rural Development will prepare the necessary export certification documentation to accompany consignments.

This process is not expected to be completed before late November or early December at the earliest.

Subject to stringent conditions, the import of pig, sheep, goat and bovine meat from Great Britain are also to be relaxed.

Pigmeat, sheepmeat, farmed game meat and goatmeat from FMD-free counties in Great Britain will be allowed where there have been no cases of FMD in the current outbreak. Also allowed will be wild game meat from all FMD-free counties except those which border High Risk or At Risk counties and beef from counties where there have been no cases of FMD in the current outbreak and counties which had FMD but are now declared free of the disease. (SP)