BSE breakthrough opens new beef trade opportunities

This week’s certification of Ireland as a country with negligible risk for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) will be worth about €25m per year to the beef industry, because it reduces the carcase materials which have to be disposed of as specified risk materials, said Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney yesterday.

“However, the real benefit to the beef industry will be market access and new trade opportunities for Ireland,” he added. Welcoming the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) decision, Minister Coveney said the next step is to give practical and legal effect to the OIE decision at EU level.

This would allow his Department to engage with competent authorities in third countries, with a view to agreeing simplified trade certification conditions, over time.

He said, “The OIE decision will further advance Ireland’s reputation with other beef markets around the world. This announcement provides compelling evidence of the effectiveness of the measures taken over the years to control and eradicate this disease and is evidence of the commitment, expertise and dedication of all Department staff and stakeholders who contributed to this development”.

“BSE had caused very considerable disruption to trade in the beef sector in the past, and the measures taken both to protect public health and to eradicate the disease had imposed very considerable costs on the beef sector.”