Changes in BSE control regime

FURTHER changes are to be made by the European Commission to the control regime for BSE as the incidence of the disease declines, not alone in Ireland but throughout the EU.

Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan said yesterday that Commissioner Markos Kyprianou had confirmed that he proposes to increase the age limit, from 24 months to 30 months, for the removal of vertebral column in cattle. The changes were fully justified without jeopardising either food safety or disease control.

She said she will continue pressing the Commission to increase the age at which healthy slaughtered animals are tested for BSE from its current 30 month level.