Beef ban lifted
Cattle over the age of 30 months will no longer have to be culled if it is to be sold for beef, it has been announced.
The 30-month rule was introduced in 1996 to protect consumers amid safety fears about the consumption of older beef, particularly the spread of mad cow disease (BSE).
However, a drastic drop in the number of BSE cases reported has led the government to relax the rule.
National Farmers Union (NFU) vice-president Meurig Raymond welcomed the news, saying that “strict safety measures, including a robust testing regime, are now in place so consumers can buy older beef with confidence”.
He said he also hoped the decision now paved the way for “a complete lifting of UK beef export bans” in Europe.
“The NFU will continue its work in Brussels and Whitehall to lift the current EU trade restrictions as a matter of urgency,” Mr Raymond added.
