EU extends ban on beef from foot and mouth infected areas of Brazil

THE EU has extended the ban on beef from foot and mouth infected areas of Brazil until June.

But a total ban on all South American beef imports has been called for by IFA National Livestock Committee Chairman John Bryan. He said the EU is exposing the entire European livestock sector to unnecessary risk by not imposing more stringent restrictions.

His demand came after six new outbreaks of the disease were announced in Brazil last week, more than four and a half months after the first case in the current disease outbreak in Brazil. However, the European Food Safety Authority says the strain of the disease found in Central Asia and China is of particular concern.