Ireland now fulfils the requirements to be recognised as having negligible risk for BSE said the World Health Organisation (OIE).
The announcement comes in accordance with the OIE code, after the Department of Agriculture sent a detailed submission last year for evaluation.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue welcomed the news.
“This is a most welcome and very significant step forward towards Ireland achieving negligible risk status in respect of BSE, affirming the robustness of Ireland’s animal health, food and feed safety controls and providing further independent affirmation in the international market place of the strength of Ireland’s control system,” he commented.
Minister McConalogue said two further steps are needed before this status is officially recognised. First is a 60-day period within which all 182 member countries of the OIE may request any information substantiating this decision should they wish to do so and secondly, that the proposal receives a favourable vote at the OIE General Assembly.
The OIE’s Scientific Commission recommended this recognition be submitted for endorsement by the OIE World Assembly of Delegates at the 88th General Session in May 2021.
“We must await the outcome of these two final stages in the process but I am optimistic and hopeful for our world-class beef farmers and the wider sector,” Minister McConalogue concluded.
LSL News.