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European Union Bans Brazilian Beef Due to Foot and Mouth Disease |
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Written by Lourenço Melo
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Tuesday, 11 October 2005 |
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The Brazilian government on Tuesday, October 11, received four notifications canceling temporarily the purchase of Brazil's beef after news that a focus of foot and mouth disease had been found in Eldorado, a town in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul.
The 15 countries of the European Union suspended all beef imports not only from Mato Grosso do Sul but also from the states of Paraná and São Paulo. Great Britain announced it will not buy beef coming from Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraná and Israel and South Africa decided to ban the product from any part of the Brazilian territory.
The president of the Fonesa (National Forum of the Farm Security Organs), Altino Rodrigues Neto, said that the government considers that the sanitary measures adopted up to now by Brazil are enough to prevent the disease from spreading to other herds.
With the confirmation of foot and mouth disease in 140 animals at a farm (Fazenda Vezozzo), in the municipality of Eldorado, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, following exams by the National Farm Lab (Laboratório Nacional Agropecuário) (Lanagro), the Ministry of Agriculture had ordered the slaughter of 582 animals on the farm.
In a note, the ministry reports that sanitary measures have been taken to ensure that the disease does not spread. The Fazenda Vezozzo has been isolated and neighboring properties within a radius of 25 kilometers are being inspected.
The occurrence of the disease has been communicated to the authorities at the World Organization for Animal Health in Paris, and the Pan American Foot and Mouth Center (Panaftosa), as well as neighboring countries and all importers of Brazilian beef.
Agência Brasil
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