The Department of Agriculture (DA) said over the weekend it will issue a temporary ban on the importation of live cattle, meat, meat products, bovine processed animal proteins and cattle semen originating from the United Kingdom with the resurgence of the mad cow disease in Scotland.
The World Organization for Animal Health World Animal Health Information System (WOAH-WAHIS) and an official letter from the UK Chief Veterinary Officer confirmed the presence of a recent case of classical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in Europe.
Memorandum Order No. 20 issued by the DA on May 30, 2024, is a precautionary measure to check and deter the entry of C-type BSE case in South Ayrshire, Scotland to Philippine soils.
BSE is a fatal nervous system disease in cattle that can have devastating consequences for the livestock industry and food safety.
The disease can be transmitted to humans through consumption of infected meat products, causing Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a fatal brain disorder.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the DA values public health and the preservation of the country’s P260 billion livestock industry
The temporary import ban is a necessary precaution to prevent the spread of BSE in the Philippines, it said.
The DA said while imported beef is a popular ingredient in restaurants and processed foods, it aims to minimize disruption while prioritizing safety.
Shipments already in transit, loaded or accepted at port from the UK will be allowed entry, provided the products were slaughtered or produced before April 10, 2024.
The DA said it would also enforce stricter inspections at all ports of entry for meat and meat by-products, live animals and bovine processed animal proteins originating from any country.
The exercise will ensure that only safe and non-infected commodities enter the Philippines, it said.
