MEASURES to introduce new EU-wide controls on feed for farmed livestock in England were announced this week by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

From August 1, the new rules will ban the feeding of any processed animal protein to animals kept, fattened or bred for the production of food.

While existing UK legislation prohibits the feeding of mammalian meat and bone meal to all farmed livestock, controls agreed by the EU Agriculture Council now require member states to prohibit the feeding of processed animal protein to animals which are kept, fattened or bred for the production of food.

Animal health minister Elliott Morley stated that feed controls introduce in the UK in 1988 and 1996 have lead to a "a steady eradication of BSE".

"I welcome the introduction of wider controls on feed across Europe as a whole, which is leading to some member states introducing effective measures for the first time. This is undoubtedly to the benefit of consumers both in the UK and across the EU, and is resulting in a more level playing field for UK livestock producers."

Updated: 08:58 Thursday, July 05, 2001