European Union | EFSA works on rapid BSE detection test | The European Food S...
European Union
EFSA works on rapid BSE detection test
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has designed a field trial for a proposed rapid BSE detection test for live animals, that could - if approved - significantly reduce the amount of culling (and associated supply and price problems) following an outbreak. EFSA’s Scientific Expert Working Group on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) wants to add a rapid live test to five rapid post mortem tests. A report on the trial said: “An accurate live animal test might offer the possibility to reduce the number of culled animals after the detection of one positive animal.” The key, it said, was ensuring any new rapid live BSE test was not “statistically inferior” to post mortem tests.
New farm commissioner reveals plans for sugar, GM foods
The European Union (EU) Agriculture Commissioner designate Mariann Fischer Boel has promised to make reforming the EU’s sugar market system her immediate top priority when assuming office in November…The Dane also signaled support for the production of GM foodstuffs in Europe, but wanted rules preventing them contaminating non-GM foods.
The British National Beef Association has called for money spent on disposing of cattle in the over-30-month-slaughter scheme to be redistributed.
The NBA said the £8.4 million spent paying compensation on, and destroying the carcass of the 10,000 head of cattle that are put through the OTMS each year would be much better spent on establishing fairer payments for the owners of genuine cull breeding stock.
Thailand
Third human death from bird flu
Thailand’s health ministry has released a statement confirming that a woman has become the third suspected human bird flu victim in northern Thailand. The woman is the mother of one of the other two victims. The three victims live in two villages in Khanuworalaksaburi district. It is suspected the three fell ill after handling family-bred chickens, which have also died.
New Zealand
Bad weather in New Zealand has killed an estimated 100,000 lambs, frozen by six inches of snow dumped on parts of the South Island.Tom Lambie, president of the Federated Farmers of New Zealand, says while it's devastating for individual farmers, the figure is less than one half of a per cent of chilled lamb exports. He says this year's lambing, expected to be up by 800,000 on last year, should offset the losses.
Japan
Japan, U.S. to open negotiations within days on beef ban
Talks aimed at ending the nearly yearlong ban on imports of American beef products in Japan will get underway within days, Japanese and American officials said in the wake of a meeting on Wednesday between U.S. President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
European Union
EFSA works on rapid BSE detection test
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has designed a field trial for a proposed rapid BSE detection test for live animals, that could - if approved - significantly reduce the amount of culling (and associated supply and price problems) following an outbreak. EFSA’s Scientific Expert Working Group on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) wants to add a rapid live test to five rapid post mortem tests. A report on the trial said: “An accurate live animal test might offer the possibility to reduce the number of culled animals after the detection of one positive animal.” The key, it said, was ensuring any new rapid live BSE test was not “statistically inferior” to post mortem tests.
New farm commissioner reveals plans for sugar, GM foods
The European Union (EU) Agriculture Commissioner designate Mariann Fischer Boel has promised to make reforming the EU’s sugar market system her immediate top priority when assuming office in November…The Dane also signaled support for the production of GM foodstuffs in Europe, but wanted rules preventing them contaminating non-GM foods.
The British National Beef Association has called for money spent on disposing of cattle in the over-30-month-slaughter scheme to be redistributed.
The NBA said the £8.4 million spent paying compensation on, and destroying the carcass of the 10,000 head of cattle that are put through the OTMS each year would be much better spent on establishing fairer payments for the owners of genuine cull breeding stock.
Thailand
Third human death from bird flu
Thailand’s health ministry has released a statement confirming that a woman has become the third suspected human bird flu victim in northern Thailand. The woman is the mother of one of the other two victims. The three victims live in two villages in Khanuworalaksaburi district. It is suspected the three fell ill after handling family-bred chickens, which have also died.
New Zealand
Bad weather in New Zealand has killed an estimated 100,000 lambs, frozen by six inches of snow dumped on parts of the South Island.Tom Lambie, president of the Federated Farmers of New Zealand, says while it's devastating for individual farmers, the figure is less than one half of a per cent of chilled lamb exports. He says this year's lambing, expected to be up by 800,000 on last year, should offset the losses.
Japan
Japan, U.S. to open negotiations within days on beef ban
Talks aimed at ending the nearly yearlong ban on imports of American beef products in Japan will get underway within days, Japanese and American officials said in the wake of a meeting on Wednesday between U.S. President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.