EU veterinary experts will meet in Brussels tomorrow to plan a massive expansion of BSE testing to cover all older cattle in response to the recent outbreak of the disease in France.
The EU Food Safety Commissioner, Mr David Byrne, yesterday announced the plan to increase the number of animals to be tested from 170,000 to over a million. In Ireland alone, up to 100,000 animals could face tests.
Speaking in Brussels, Mr Byrne said the experience of dealing with BSE highlighted the importance of more transparency and plain speaking from politicians when food crises emerged.
"There must be no hidden agendas, no distortions, no false assurances. Transparency, information and open dialogue must guide our actions. We must make known the risks and the protective measures which we have introduced to tackle those risks," he said.
French beef sales have dropped by 40 per cent since the announcement that 96 cases of BSE had been discovered in France since the start of this year. The French Prime Minister, Mr Lionel Jospin, is expected to announce a package of food safety measures today, including a ban on the use of meat and bone meal in animal feed.
The EU Agriculture Commissioner, Mr Franz Fischler, said yesterday he believed farmers understood it was in their interest that all necessary measures should be taken to reassure the public that food was safe.
"I am very conscious of the huge public concern at the extent of the disease in our cattle herd. It is our responsibility - at both the national and the Community level - to take that concern very seriously. I am convinced that farmers agree with me that it is of utmost importance to restore public trust in beef products," he said.
