Vic Robertson
A last ditch attempt to stave off potential chaos on the beef market in the wake of relaxed BSE rules is being staged by the National Beef Association.
The NBA said the the prime cattle market must be protected from the re-emergence of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of older beef when the over thirty month ban was lifted.
The Food Standards Agency is considering two options to remove the ban, either a total lift, or simply allowing cattle born after August 1, 1996 back on to the market.
Whichever decision is taken, the result will be between 150,000 to 220,000 or more tonnes of beef coming back on to the market, said the MLC's corporate strategy director Bob Bansback. "Either way it's going to mean substantial amounts of beef coming on to the market."
The NBA is urging DEFRA to set up a full testing programme for BSE in all slaughtered cattle over 30 months old to aid an early resumption of exports.
Without the programme, the NBA fears some EU authorities will continue to block UK imports until late next year, while in the meantime the UK market is flooded with mature beef by the lifting of the OTMS ban.
"The UK cannot absorb an additional 25-35% more beef in one swallow," said NBA chairman Robert Robinson. "Processors need a chance to re-develop markets for older beef without being faced with an avalanche."
MLC beef specialist Duncan Sinclair said: "The industry would prefer a much more gradual re-introduction, rather than the one currently on the table, primarily to allow the market time to adapt and replace some imports."
But the meat industry fears at least part of the extra costs of testing animals will be passed onto them.
Peter Scott, general secretary of the British Meat Federation, said: "Tests cost 160 with the EU paying 140. Who is going to pay the balance, particularly for those animals that do not go into food?"
{{MARKET EDGE }}
A last ditch attempt to stave off potential chaos on the beef market in the wake of relaxed BSE rules is being staged by the National Beef Association.
The NBA said the the prime cattle market must be protected from the re-emergence of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of older beef when the over thirty month ban was lifted.
The Food Standards Agency is considering two options to remove the ban, either a total lift, or simply allowing cattle born after August 1, 1996 back on to the market.
Whichever decision is taken, the result will be between 150,000 to 220,000 or more tonnes of beef coming back on to the market, said the MLC's corporate strategy director Bob Bansback. "Either way it's going to mean substantial amounts of beef coming on to the market."
The NBA is urging DEFRA to set up a full testing programme for BSE in all slaughtered cattle over 30 months old to aid an early resumption of exports.
Without the programme, the NBA fears some EU authorities will continue to block UK imports until late next year, while in the meantime the UK market is flooded with mature beef by the lifting of the OTMS ban.
"The UK cannot absorb an additional 25-35% more beef in one swallow," said NBA chairman Robert Robinson. "Processors need a chance to re-develop markets for older beef without being faced with an avalanche."
MLC beef specialist Duncan Sinclair said: "The industry would prefer a much more gradual re-introduction, rather than the one currently on the table, primarily to allow the market time to adapt and replace some imports."
But the meat industry fears at least part of the extra costs of testing animals will be passed onto them.
Peter Scott, general secretary of the British Meat Federation, said: "Tests cost 160 with the EU paying 140. Who is going to pay the balance, particularly for those animals that do not go into food?"
{{MARKET EDGE }}
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