Vet declarations wanted for UK meat exports to EU

From December 13, 2023, non-assured UK livestock farmers can be required to supply a declaration signed by a vet for his or her merchandise to be eligible for export to the EU.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Improvement Board (AHDB) stated this requirement is because of an EU animal well being regulation change mandating farms producing animals or merchandise of animal origin for export to have common veterinary visits.

The earlier momentary requirement, which concerned a farmer declaration, can be changed by this new process.

To acquire this declaration, farmers should bear common animal well being checks performed by certified veterinarians.

Throughout these visits, the vet will perform a visible evaluation of the farm to substantiate it is freed from notifiable illnesses, with no sampling or laboratory testing wanted.

This doesn’t should be the only function of the go to and might be mixed with different visits, offering that each one animals current on the farm are thought-about.

The go to from the vet ought to happen at the least as soon as throughout a 12-month interval, but when the vet considers a necessity for a subsequent go to earlier than the 12-month mark, this can be communicated to the livestock proprietor and clearly said within the declaration.

Farmers which are a part of an authorized farm assurance scheme already meet the requirement for a veterinary go to so no further veterinary declaration is required.

Schemes at present authorized are:

• Pink Tractor;
• High quality Meat Scotland (QMS);
• Farm Assured Welsh Livestock Beef and Lamb Scheme (FAWL);
• Welsh Lamb and Beef Producers Ltd. (WLBP).

In case your farm has had an annual well being and welfare overview as a part of the Animal Well being and Welfare Pathway, then this may also fulfil the necessities.

You will have to retain the receipt out of your go to as proof as official veterinarians certifying items for export do not need any entry to the AHWP database.  

These regulatory modifications have been on account of take impact on December 13, 2022, however the authorities agreed to delay the implementation of the brand new rule by a 12 months, permitting farmers extra time to arrange for the change and prepare the mandatory vet visits.

Dr. Phil Hadley of the AHDB stated: “The UK ships roughly 72% of all its meat exports to the EU.

“It’s notably important for the sheep meat sector, with 94% of sheep meat exports destined for the EU with a price of £475 million in 2022.

“Along with this, £274 million price of pig merchandise and £347 million price of beef meat was exported from the UK to the EU in 2022.”

“The organisation’s (AHDB) position consists of supporting farmers with their export well being certification, and with UK meat exports persevering with to climb, we’re specializing in the long run to determine new markets for our exporters, making certain UK meat is loved in additional international locations all over the world.”