Ireland-New Government safety measures in place for meat products.
IRELAND –NEW GOVERNMENT SAFETY MEASURES.
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mr Brendan Smith TD yesterday formally launched Animal Health Ireland (AHI), which aims to improve overall animal health standards and thereby secure improved profitability for farmers and international competitiveness of livestock products through a coordinated national approach to animal health.
Minister Smith said that yesterday’s launch represented the results of extensive discussions held with the various industry stakeholders within the agri-food industry, in particular primary producers, food processors and service providers. He confirmed that from these discussions, it was clear there was a genuine commitment by all interested parties to work together on an initiative to address a range of animal health and related issues so as to enhance, in a co-ordinated way, the quality of Irish farm and processor outputs and improve animal health.
The initiative also gives effect to a commitment in the Programme for Government to introduce a Herd Health Initiative to deal with non-regulated diseases and conditions and is modelled on international examples of success in animal health, but adapted to Irish conditions. It will complement the existing animal health programmes for regulated diseases and focus on non-regulated animal health issues. While the initial focus is likely to be on bovine diseases such as Johnes, IBR, BVD, lameness, mastitis and infertility, the model can equally apply to issues affecting other species.
The Minister said that there was general agreement among stakeholders that a body - to be known as Animal Health Ireland - was needed to drive the initiative and that this body should be overseen by a Steering Group selected on the basis of competencies. In turn, that Group would be overseen by a Stakeholders Group comprising representatives of the organisations that among other things will be co-financing the initiative.
The Minister said that the health status of the national herd now and in the future will be a critical element in assisting farmers to add value to farm incomes and allowing Irish food products to remain competitive in a world trading environment. He added that he believed that "animal health and food safety will be critical contributors to international competitiveness both as a result of the impact - perceived or otherwise - of animal diseases on product quality and safety".
The Minister confirmed that his Department will meet some initial costs and will provide a small number of Executive staff to assist the interim Steering Group of AHI, the membership of which was announced in November last to manage Animal Health Ireland. The Minister also confirmed that the inaugural meeting of the Stakeholder Group comprising the founding stakeholders who have financed the initiative also took place today. This Group will now embark on developing and coordinating a national infrastructure that will enable industry at all levels to take appropriate and effective action in relation to non-regulated diseases.
