Positive boost to welsh beef industry

Huge boost to the Welsh beef industry - is how NFU Cymru has described today's decision by the UK Government to move towards relaxing the Over Thirty Month rule.

Welcoming the announcement NFU Cymru President Peredur Hughes said: "I am delighted that Government has at last recognised and accepted the independent scientific advice of the Food Standards Agency, EFSA, the OIE and SEAC. Beef producers up and down Wales will welcome today's news.

"The Government's announcement reflects the huge strides that have been made over the past eight years by the industry in eradicating BSE in British cattle and we must now ensure its continued progress with the implementation of a robust testing programme as quickly as possible and the implementation of the necessary legislation."

NFU Cymru believes this announcement will kick start further progress in Europe on securing changes to other BSE related regulations in the UK. Peredur Hughes said: "Confirmation of medium risk status would be a real breakthrough for the Welsh beef industry as we have already seen positive signals that there is a ready market for Welsh beef on the continent. It should enable us to export beef to other EU member states under exactly the same conditions that they use.

"This decision starts the process of placing Welsh beef producers under the same market conditions as other EU member states, something that we have not experienced since 1996."