Philippines Opens Gates to British Meats
PHILIPPINES - After seven months, the Philippine Department of Agriculture has lifted the ban on the importation of meat products from the United Kingdom, media reports said on Thursday.
14 March 2008
1 minute read
This developed after the United Kingdom's Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs reported to the World Animal Health Organization last month that Britain has addressed its problem on the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, Philippine TV network GMA News reported.
Rules of the World Animal Health Organization allow countries to apply to regain their official FMD free status provided that there has been a three month disease free period without vaccination, since the last confirmed case. No further cases of FMD have been identified since 30 September 2007.
Agriculture Secretary of the Philippines Arthur Yap imposed a ban on animal and meat imports from the United Kingdom last August when a foot and mouth disease outbreak plagued a farm there.
An evaluation conducted by the Philippine Bureau of Animal Industry confirmed that the United Kingdom's meat products are now safe for human consumption.
TheCattleSite News Desk
