Stakeholder Meeting

This included Scotland's Officially Tuberculosis Free (OTF) Status, Bluetongue, emergency preparedness planning and various Poultry issues. The new EU Community Animal Health Law proposal was outlined and its implications for the Scottish livestock industry were considered.

The group received an update on the OTF Implementation Plan, containing the final detailed control measures to maintain Scotland's OTF Status. The plan which was welcomed by stakeholders has now been signed off by the Cabinet Secretary. It is expected that the plan will be sent to the Commission by the end of November . The communication phase is planned for early next year in advance of the implementation of control measures coming into force on 28th February 2010.

Simon Hall Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), set out the current Bluetongue disease situation in GB and on the continent and the implications for the vaccination campaign here in Scotland in 2010. He outlined the emerging results of the BTV surveillance exercise carried out earlier this month and stated these were encouraging, with results to date showing no positives for Bluetongue here in Scotland. A serological survey carried out in September also confirmed a high level of compliance with the vaccination campaign. The consensus from industry was that in light of the information currently available, their preference is for a voluntary vaccination campaign in 2010. Industry stakeholders also indicated that they would work together to continue a voluntary import ban during the 2010 vector period.

The group were informed that the Scottish Government are in final consultation with the other UK administrations to set a common GB wide stocking density limit in advance of the EU Meat Chickens Directive which comes into force in June 2010. Government officials also reminded the Poultry Industry that the use of battery cages will be banned completely from January 2012, in line with European law.

A Welfare at Slaughter Regulation has been published by the European Commission. Industry representatives acknowledged the work required here in Scotland in light of the new proposal and aim to work with the Scottish Government to implement these changes with as little bureaucracy as possible.

The CVO presented an quick overview of the EU Animal Health Law. Scottish Government are keen to engage in the development of the new legal framework, which will cover a range of key issues here in Scotland. All industry sectors are encouraged to become involved by responding to the online questionnaire, on the Commission website (link below), in advance of the December deadline.

Finally the group were invited to become actively involved in the development of a GB-wide Foot and Mouth disease exercise to take place in Autumn 2010. The two day exercise aims to test arrangements for disease outbreak preparedness.