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.