Irish agriculture and food development authority Teagasc is holding an international conference on improving beef safety and quality on 8-9 February in Dublin.
Veterinary and meat industry experts have called on meat producers across Europe to improve the quality of their meat inspections to meet current and planned tougher European Union (EU) standards.
The Schmallenberg virus (SBV), recently observed in ruminants, is likely to spread to other European countries when temperatures get warmer, according to the European Food safety Authority (EFSA).
Meat production has increased by 36% in the past five years, and is expected to grow another 23% by 2020, Russian agriculture minister Yelena Skrynnik has announced.
The European Commission has granted legal protection to a ham from the northern German state Schleswig-Holstein, preventing meat traders from selling ‘Holsteiner Katenschinken’ unless it is made in its home area by traditional production.
Russian authorities have defended their decision to temporarily restrict imports of cattle from Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France from February 1 over the Schmallenberg virus, and warn a meat ban may follow.
UK cattle slaughterings dropped by 6% in the second half of 2011, mainly due to a reduction in young bull kill, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has announced.
The European meat industry has criticised a decision by the European Parliament not to introduce food labelling that would display percentages of cuts in salt, fat and sugar.
The European Commission has asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to provide a scientific assessment of the risks related to the Schmallenberg virus.
