EU Considers Return of MBM in Animal Feeds

UK - Following a long-term ban on the use of meat and bone meal in animal feeds to control BSE, it has been proposed that poultry protein fed to pigs and vice versa in the EU in future.
calendar icon 21 September 2010
clock icon 2 minute read

In July, the NFU responded to Defra's informal consultation on the EU's TSE Roadmap, according to Poultry Highlights newsletter from the National Farmers Union.

NFU acting director of communications, Terry Jones, said: "There were a range of recommendations for the unwinding of regulations outlined in the second TSE roadmap back in July and the lifting of the ban for feeding processed animal proteins was just one of the six areas identified.

"There is no recommendation in the proposals that meat and bone meal should be fed to ruminants but we could potentially see poultry protein fed to pigs and vice versa. Importantly, the proposals do not allow the intra species feeding of animal protein.

"While prices for soya meal continue to rise and the restrictions on the import of GM soya to the EU fuel an increase in the price premium for the commodity, EU farmers will want to consider cheaper sources of protein to remain competitive.

"It must be remembered that these are merely proposals and consumer safety and confidence is always paramount to British farmers who will want to maintain the highest levels of food and feed safety. Animal protein will only be used as an animal feed once the science demonstrates that it can be used safely and if consumers accept its use."

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