The Scottish devolved government today opened a consultation on the country applying for BSE negligible-risk status which runs until 30 September.

Negligible-risk status is the best possible BSE risk status and is awarded annually in May by OIE, the world animal health organisation made up of 180 member countries.

Achievement of BSE negligible-risk status would enable Scotland access markets with a greater range of beef products and remove the need for disposal of some offals that currently cannot enter the food chain. Many Asian countries that won’t accept beef from cattle over 30 months, under the current status, will accept over-30-month beef from negligible-risk countries or regions.

Ireland briefly held negligible-risk status in May and early June 2015, but the discovery of a BSE case in Co Louth meant Ireland reverted to controlled-risk BSE status.

Public consultation

Earlier this year Northern Ireland, which is also eligible to apply for negligible-risk status, went out to consultation and there was a general consensus that the application should pursued. It is expected that Northern Ireland will be seeking negligible-risk status at the annual OIE congress in May 2017, and with the Scottish industry supportive of the application, it looks like Scotland will also have an application on the agenda.

The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW), the trade association for meat factories in Scotland, said in its comment: “The consultation also recognises the difference in disease-free status which now exists between Scotland and England and Wales.”

Under present rules, they won’t be eligible to apply until 2020 as it has to be 11 years after the birth of the last case of BSE before a country or region becomes eligible to apply for negligible risk status. As a result of the case discovered last year, Ireland won’t be eligible to apply until 2021.

France, like Ireland, achieved negligible-risk status last year and also lost it a short time after with the discovery of an isolated case of BSE.

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