BEEF - Food Standards Agency Statement on Imported Beef

The Agency is also acting to improve protection for UK consumers by:

• Stressing to the Commission the need for full implementation and inspection of the new (1 October) SRM controls across the EU.
• Formally requesting the EU Commission to take action on problems of cross-contamination, especially in countries with a known risk of BSE, and will monitor action taken.
• The readiness to move swiftly if there is evidence that imports from any overseas country constitute an unacceptable risk.

The Agency is currently reviewing the UK-wide BSE controls and has concluded that they are protecting human health. The review will also point to areas where the controls could be further tightened. The Agency will consider any new evidence and review the controls if necessary.

The Agency carries out spot checks to ensure that controls are being properly enforced and will pursue vigorously any allegations that the controls are being broken.

The current UK controls protecting human health are:

• EU-wide specified risk material controls in force since 1 October
• The complete ban on meat from cattle over thirty months entering the food chain which applies to both imported and home produced beef
• Ban on feeding of mammalian meat and bonemeal to all farmed livestock

There have been no substantiated cases of imported beef over thirty months old reaching UK consumers. It is illegal and the penalties are high.

Against this background and the fact that the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) have issued no new advice, the Agency has no reason to advise against the consumption of legally-sold EU beef.

This position will be reviewed if:

• The incidence of BSE in France or other countries emerges as significantly greater than presently reported; and/or
• failures are reported in the current controls.

The enforcement of the BSE controls in licensed meat premises in Great Britain is the responsibility of the Meat Hygiene Service, an executive Agency of the Food Standards Agency. In Northern Ireland this is the responsibility of Agriculture and Rural Development on behalf of the Food Standards Agency.

Local authority enforcement officers are responsible for enforcing controls on the sale of over thirty month meat other than in licensed premises. Under the Beef Controls Regulations the penalties are: a. on summary conviction - a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, £5000; b. on conviction on indictment - an unlimited fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both.