Northern Ireland-BSE testing 48 months from January 1.

NORTHERN IRELAND.

GOOD NEWS ON BSE TESTING.

The new regulations for BSE testing at 48 months that start next week on January 1, is welcome news for the farmers in Ulster, according to the Ulster Farmers Union President Graham Furey.

Furey said "The industry will welcome the new controls that are to be further relaxed which is a vote of confidence in our members. The extension to 48 months will be both a workload and financial benefit to Ulster farmers. This will mean an addition 40,000 head of cattle not having to be tested on an annual basis".

The BSE outbreak in 1996, brought the very large cow beef business to a rapid close. The cow trade is just beginning to emerge again, however the large players have all gone into other meat ventures or out of the trade all together. The cow beef trade employed thousands of people in England and Northern Ireland.