NFU's qualified welcome for EU amber light on meat exports

The NFU has given a qualified welcome to the partial lifting of the export ban on meat from the UK as from October 12, which was agreed by the EU committee for animal health and the food chain (Scofcah) in Brussels today.

However, the NFU has warned that the beneficial impact of the decision will be limited, first by the size of the area from which exports will remain proscribed, and secondly by the conditions applied to meat for the export market. These will require animals whose meat goes for export to have been held on the same holding for 30 days prior to slaughter, with no livestock having been brought onto the holding for the last 21 days prior to slaughter. Strict conditions will also be applied at export abattoirs.

NFU President Peter Kendall said the decision would come as a relief to those parts of the country that stood to benefit from it, especially to sheep farmers who have seen market prices slump in the absence of the export trade. But he added there would be huge disappointment in the Midlands, parts of the West Country and East Anglia that their exports would remain banned.

"We acknowledge the committee's willingness to allow some limited lifting of restrictions, which will make a difference in Wales, the West and the North. But in the light of Defra's detailed epidemiological investigations, which confirm that the FMD risk is now confined to a relatively small part of South East England, we are obviously very disappointed that the committee did not feel able to go further," he said.

"Some of the restrictions that will be placed on farms and abattoirs involved in export supply chains also appear to go beyond what would be justified scientifically. We need to understand how all these conditions and restrictions will work before we can gain a clear idea of the impact on the market, and will be holding urgent discussions with Defra to make sense of what is a hugely complicated situation.

"Despite that, and the fact that exports cannot actually be resumed until October 12, this does represent an important step forward and should give a much-needed boost to both morale and trade over the coming days and weeks.

"However, we must always remember that there are thousands of farmers in the South East and surrounding areas for whom not only will exports remain banned, but who still face severe disruption to their farming businesses because of continuing movement restrictions. I cannot and will not allow these farming families to become the forgotten people of the foot and mouth crisis."

Mr Kendall said that even though the partial lifting of export restrictions would help to limit the economic damage of the FMD outbreak, the total cost would still be huge.

"It is too early to put a precise figure on what the livestock industry has lost in banned exports and lower market prices for pigs, cattle and lambs - as well as all the extra costs associated with bio-security and movement restrictions - but our initial estimates suggest it is already well over £100 million. Even if markets get back to normal fairly quickly from now on, the final cost will represent a significant blow to the industry.

"That is a huge hit for an already weakened sector to take, and a recovery package in which the Government plays its full part is still vital in helping the industry get back on its feet."