Macra welcomes BSE herd move

THE decision by Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan to replace the compulsory BSE whole herd depopulation policy with a partial one has been welcomed by Macra na Feirme.

Colm Markey, president, said it was a positive sign of the progress made in terms of reducing incidence of BSE in Ireland. The whole herd depopulation policy was very stressful on those farmers who had to deal with the situation of losing all their animals when perhaps only one had been diagnosed positive.

Mr Markey said BSE no longer poses a serious threat to food safety in this country.