Farm-Scape is sponsored by Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork Play Audio Farm-Scape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork.

Farm-Scape, Episode 1305

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says everything from limited regulation of the distribution of rendered meat and bone meal products to an outright ban are among the options currently being considered.

In the wake of Canada's lone case of BSE an international team of experts has made several recommendations, chief among them, to address the disposal of specified materials that pose a high risk of transmitting the disease.

CFIA Associate Executive Director Animal Products Dr. Claude Lavigne points out the use of rendered meat and bone meal in non-ruminant animal feeds poses no health risk.

"The science is clear on the fact that swine are not a species that is susceptible to BSE.

It's on that basis that we enacted regulations, the so-called feed ban back in 1997, that prohibits feeding cattle with protein that comes from other cattle or ruminants.

Feeding these materials to species that are not susceptible, such as swine or poultry, does not present an element of risk.

These are high quality proteins that are available for a reasonable price so it makes a lot of sense to recycle these materials into usable feeds.

There is no health risk associated with swine that are fed ruminant proteins".

Dr. Lavigne says a full array of options is being considered but no decision has been made as to which option will prevail.

He says any decisions require consultation with industry, the provinces, scientists and international interests but the work is progressing and the hope is to have something out in the coming months.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.