New BSE testing age rules are common sense say NFU

News that the age of BSE testing has been raised from 48 months to 72 months has been welcomed as a common sense move by NFU Cymru.

The new rules, which come into force, tomorrow, 1 July 2011, and apply to healthy cattle slaughtered for human consumption, have been implemented after EU ministers agreed that with just a handful of cases now across Europe the approach for BSE testing needed to be risk-based and led by up-to-date scientific evidence. The decision to raise the age in the UK has been made following the support of the FSA Board and the approval of UK and Welsh Government Ministers.

NFU Cymru Livestock Board Chairman Peter Davies said, "Consumer safety is always of paramount importance to livestock producers, and in relation to BSE we have understood the need for strict controls in the past. However, the time is right to move to a more science-based level of protection. As producers we want to see regulations which are risk-based and that use up-to-date scientific evidence.

"The level of BSE cases continues to fall; now there are just a handful of cases across the EU. The Europe Food Standards Authority opinion also supports the view that increasing the testing age will not adversely affect human health."